Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for this Holiday Season!

The holiday season is notorious for producing a great deal of waste and harmful emissions, further contributing to humans’ negative impact on our environment. This holiday season, consider purchasing eco-friendly gifts. These gifts may not only promote sustainable practices to those receiving the gifts but also reduce unnecessary waste. 

Knowing where to start or which eco-friendly products to look for can be difficult, so we’ve put together a list of some gift suggestions to make your holiday more thoughtful, clean, and green! 

1. Avoid buying disposable gifts and choose reusable products such as reusable cutlery, steel straws, reusable drinking cups, reusable shopping bags, etc. Not only can these products make life more convenient, but they will reduce the recipient’s need to buy disposable products in the future!
2. Shop local! New York has more than 400 active farmers’ markets. Shopping at farmers’ markets lowers emissions from transporting goods, promotes sustainable farming practices, and supports small local businesses. You can find everything from fresh produce and baked goods to locally made handcrafted goods such as candles, artwork, and jewelry. 
3. Make a donation in someone’s name from a mission-oriented business or organization. Donating in a friend or loved one’s name is a wonderful way to honor them and is a very rewarding gift. Bonus points if the donation goes towards a cause focused on the environment or combating climate change! 
4. Finally, most of the waste created during the holiday season comes from gift wrapping. Once you’ve chosen the right eco-friendly gift, use recyclable wrapping paper such as Kraft brown wrapping paper, or wrapping paper alternatives like newspaper. You can design your gifts with hand-painted patterns, dried flowers, or colorful ribbons and bows. Not only will your gift stand out, but it can also make the sometimes mundane act of wrapping presents more exciting! 

We hope you’ll consider being an eco-friendly consumer as you shop for gifts this holiday season.  Thank you for reading this week’s Green Tips and we hope you have a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!

 By Miaojun Pang and Caroline Hahn