Zero Gifts = Zero Waste

I’ve talked previously on this blog about the wasteful nature of gift giving, offering tips ranging from using sustainable wrapping options, sending electronic gift-cards, gifting “green” products, and shopping locally. However, this week I take the gift-specific waste reduction to a whole new level by suggesting going gift free. Radical? Perhaps. Effective? You betcha!



I am not so sullied and disheartened by the manic grips of capitalism which shape our daily lives in overt and at times invisible ways as to suggest never giving or receiving a gift again. After all, environmentalism should be fun! I do, however, think it’s worthwhile to consider replacing one gift-giving occasion each year with an electronic fundraiser instead.

I had been pondering this idea for a while, when I finally decided to put it into action. Having recently celebrated my birthday, this year I started a birthday fundraiser on Facebook and asked for donations to a charity of my choice in lieu of gifts.

The process was incredibly easy and streamlined, and in less than 10 minutes, my Facebook fundraiser was ready to go. I simply navigated to the Fundraisers tab along the sidebar, clicked “select non-profit” and then set up a fundraiser to benefit Pollinator Partnership. Facebook even generates an informational call-to-action detailing the mission of your selected charity and allows you to customize it to explain why it’s important to you.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am passionate about pollinators. I studied populations of native pollinators while in school and dressed as a bumble bee for Halloween this year, handing out informational pamphlets to raise awareness about pollinator decline.

By utilizing a fundraiser in lieu of gifts, I was able to support a cause I care about, avoid accumulating more things, and remove waste from my daily life in terms of wrapping paper, bags, packaging, shipping emissions, receipts, and the multitude of waste that accompanies a modern purchased gift.

To those few dedicated family and friends who got me a gift anyway, I appreciate your generosity! However, overall I feel I was successful in reducing waste by giving to a cause rather than receiving.

Facebook has a readily-supplied list of charities from which to choose. However, I recommend researching your charity of choice using Charity Navigator or similar sites to evaluate the effectiveness and transparency of charities before creating a fundraiser on their behalf.

The fundraiser you choose will receive donations either directly from Facebook or through Network for Good or Paypal Giving Fund depending on where/how the organization has enrolled to receive payments. You can read more about the logistics behind the process on the Facebook Help Center’s page on Fundraisers and Donations.

I set a goal of raising $200 for Pollinator Partnership, and surpassed that by $35. I raised money for an environmental non-profit while furthering my mission to reduce waste in my daily life. A win-win!

If you are averse to the idea of creating an electronic fundraiser via Facebook, or if you do not have Facebook, you can still donate to a charity in other ways, including via check, collecting supplies such as food and clothing, or in donating your time by volunteering for the organization yourself or with others. Check out 7 Ways You Can Make a Donation to Charity for other ideas and tips.

Birthdays, or really any gift-giving occasion, are a great time to try this zero-gift / zero-waste challenge. Added bonus if the charity of your choice champions an environmental cause.

What are your thoughts on the zero-gift / zero-waste challenge? What charity would you champion in your fundraiser? As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, and best of luck on your journey toward greener living!

~Sam