A Last Minute Guide to Eco-Friendly Gifting

Need ideas for what to gift this holiday season? Let us be your green guides.

December is in full swing, having passed Hanukkah and plunged into a deep dive of the endless pool of holiday parties, Secret Santas, and White Elephants that lead into Christmas and the end of the year. With so much happening it can be hard to think about what presents to give, and even a bigger challenge to consider whether those gifts are eco-friendly or not. So our gift to you is this list of gifts - all are environmentally conscious and, even better, can be given on any occasion year round.

Reusables

Cutting down on one-use disposables, particularly when they are made from harmful materials like plastic or styrofoam, is perhaps the largest growing trend in implementing greener practices into daily life. But there is more to it than just reusable water bottles (which are great!) as sustainable options sprout to replace everything from straws, to shopping bags, food storage, wax wraps, and produce bags.

Services

Memberships are a great way to give your loved ones access to things like music or films and TV, but they are also a possibility to do good on behalf of your friend. You can choose from options like getting them a membership to their favorite museum or the nearest botanic garden, or installing services like Farmscape in their backyard that turn their otherwise ignored outdoor space into a fully functioning farm. You know what else makes a great gift? A CHOOOSE membership of course.

Food and Drink

Because sometimes the best gifts are the ones you can share immediately, anything in the food and drink territory is always a good idea. But instead of just grabbing the first thing on the shelf make sure it’s organic and preferably locally sourced. There are no shortage of local sellers and producers, whether that’s for wine, cheese, peanut butter, kombucha, or anything else you can imagine. Our hot pick: Uncle Sky’s Popular Demand hot sauce, made in a kitchen in Los Angeles from homegrown peppers (pun very much intended).

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Experiences

Experiences that nurture the soul or that teach a new skill are invaluable, not to mention they’re the perfect way to help your friends and family stay on track with their new year resolutions. Pottery classes, concert tickets, and gardening lessons are great places to start, but the diversity in classes and events offered nowadays - locally or on the internet - are quite possibly infinite.

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Knowledge

You know the adage - knowledge is power, so what better way to empower those you care about than to provide a well of sustainable knowledge. Sustainable Home: Practical projects, tips and advice for maintaining a more eco-friendly household is a reference book that includes ways to - you guessed it - make your home more sustainable. Whether your friend has always wanted to learn more about minimalism, how to make their own toothpaste, or getting tips on how to repurpose their clothes, there are tips for anyone to adopt, no matter where they may be at. There is always room to learn.

Featured image: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images