Gift Giving Alternatives
Gift giving is one of the joys of the holiday season. The exchange of gifts and cards during holidays is nothing new to the American tradition. We all love this custom during the holiday season. It can however be hard to balance the desire for a simpler, less wasteful lifestyle with the desire to “wow” friends and loved ones with the perfect gift. About 2.65 billion holiday cards are sold in the United States each year—that’s enough to fill a football stadium 10 stories high. Excessive gift-giving not only takes its toll on our fiscal budgets, it also harms the natural environment. As we celebrate the holidays, it pays to be mindful of sustainable consumption and materials management practices. Millions of tons of paper products and packaging are taken to the landfill during the holiday season.
Sustainable gift ideas
- Plants
- Metal Straws
- Bulk loose leaf tea
- Beeswrap
- Coffee/ tea tumbler
- Locally made, unpackaged soap
- Locally made candles
- Reusable produce bags
- Silicone cupcake holders
- Memberships/ subscriptions/ tickets
- Audible
- Spotify
- Concert Tickets