Maybe you want to buy your loved ones useful, planet-friendly gifts that won’t end up in landfill. Or maybe you’re buying for a die-hard tree hugger. Either way, don’t despair – there are plenty of options out there.
Plant-Based Foods
Since animal agriculture is the number one contributor to climate change, the best thing you can do to help the environment is ditch animal products. Why not gift your loved ones some delicious dairy-free chocolates?
Silicon Cupcake Cases
Ideal for anyone in your life who loves to bake. These reusable cases replace paper ones, saving trees and reducing waste. I love them because the cupcakes come out very cleanly – you don’t end up with a layer of crumbs stuck to the case!
Plants
It’s hard to get more eco-friendly than plants! A beautiful houseplant makes a great present for someone with green fingers. Bonus sustainability points if it bears fruit.
Menstrual Cup or Reusable Cloth Pads
The amount of waste created by disposable menstrual products is huge. Every person who switches to reusable products makes a huge difference. Plus they’re available in a range of fun colours (and patterns, in the case of pads). Just remember to check with your friend or family member which they would prefer (and if they even want either in the first place!).
A Bicycle
If you have a young child, consider getting them a bike. It will encourage them to exercise and get outside in the fresh air, and if they become a confident cyclist at a young age then they’ll hopefully be open to cycling as a method of transport when they’re older.
Tickets
Rather than buying a material object the receiver may never even use, why not get them tickets for an experience you know they’ll enjoy? It could be a concert, the theatre, a sports game or something else entirely.
Biodegradable Toiletries
If you’re going to buy toiletries or cosmetics as gifts, make sure they’ll biodegrade naturally. Choose ones which are cruelty-free too. You could even make your own zero-waste toiletries to give away.
Second-Hand Products
Buying second-hand is so much friendlier to the environment – and to your wallet! So many electronic devices end up in landfill because they’ve been replaced with something newer and shinier. Buying new only adds to the problem.
Meanwhile, much of the fashion industry is hugely unethical and environmentally destructive. There are plenty of high-quality second-hand clothes in charity shops and online. Before you buy anything, consider whether you could get it second-hand.
Do you have any ideas for eco-friendly gifts? I’d love to hear them! And stay tuned for a future post on how to have a sustainable Christmas.
Great post! I especially loved the idea of buying silicone cupcake cases 🙂
Thank you! They are so useful 🙂
What we never seem to have enough of: the gift of time. Offer to spend quality face time (not just Facetime, or Facebook time) doing an activity you both enjoy (hiking), or sharing a talent the other lacks (I can bake, you can draw), or sharing both of your talents to those who lack (sing at a nursing home).
I love that idea! My friend organised a ‘skill-share’ for her last birthday and it was really fun. We all learned a lot.
Nice! A good quote: Everyone you meet knows something you don’t.