Greener Living's Holiday Gift Guide

It’s officially that time of year again: snow is falling, Hallmark and Lifetime are showing 24/7 Holiday movies, and Thanksgiving is nearly upon us.  With the colder weather, the cozier clothes, and the impending Holiday season, comes the seemingly inevitable capitalism-driven consumerist, gift-centric expectations and traditions. A dark underbelly of the holidays, of sorts, this year I encourage you to put your dollars to greener uses by giving the gift of sustainability.

First and foremost, by shopping at thrift stores, Habitat ReStores, or Play-it-again sporting good stores, you can help reduce the environmental impact of gift-giving and give clothes, cabinets, and equipment a second life.

Furthermore, be sure to revisit my previous post ‘Tis the Season… for tips on sustainable gift wrapping and other best-practices to combat the excessive waste of the holidays.

Within my multitude of blog posts, I have highlighted numerous sustainable products that individuals can utilize and  incorporate to eliminate waste in their daily lives. However, many of these products would also make a great gift! I write today to highlight these products and to generate a list of ideas for sustainable gift giving.

If you know someone who washes their clothes, consider gifting them a Cora Ball and revisit my post on Greening Your Laundry Routine to learn more.

Consider gifting someone a compost tumbler or other collection system with some resources and options outlined in my post on Household Composting.

When giving a gift card, consider sending an electronic copy to avoid the plastic waste.

For those of you looking for a practical gift, reusable dishcloths, handkerchiefs, or cloth napkins can add some festive flair and much-needed ecological upgrades to everyday routines.

As featured in my four-part plastics purge series, there are numerous products that make great gifts that can help eliminate sources of disposable, single-use plastics in our life. These include reusable straws, reusable shopping bags / non-plastic produce bag alternatives, reusable water bottles, reusable food storage containers and ziploc bags, and reusable cutlery sets.

For the warm-beverage consumers in your life, consider gifting them a reusable coffee cup / travel mug, and do your part to help combat the Coffee Cup Crisis. If someone you know uses a Keurig on the daily, consider gifting them reusable k-cups (an eco-friendly alternative to the disposable single-use options).

Additionally, you can seek out “green” gifts that speak to the specific interests and hobbies of the people in your life. For example, does someone you know love to bake? Reusable silicone baking cups are an inexpensive, fun, and thoughtful gift idea.

The possibilities are endless! If you’ve already been journeying down the path toward greener living, there is no better time than the holidays to invite others to journey along with you!

Do you have other sustainable gift ideas? Tips for reducing waste during the holidays? Please share in the comments section below! As always, best of luck on your journey toward greener living, and I hope you have a happy, sustainable, holiday season!

~Sam