This holiday season, give the greatest gift ever…
Celebrating and being with friends and family shouldn’t increase your eco-footprint.
This holiday season, give the greatest gift ever… the gift of better health for everyone when you take action to reduce your impact on the planet.
1)Buy green gifts - from gift donations to help fight climate change, to buying from responsible brands that act for the good of the planet, there are tons of options for greening up your holiday gifts.
There are a lot of non-profit organizations fighting for our planet, so it’s hard to know the best place to donate.
I like this article, “Where to Donate? 10 High-Impact Environmental Charities with Integrity.” I follow environmental news and actions from most of them and know they’re moving forward on our path to a healthier environment.
For years I have given Heifer gifts, an opportunity to support a better global economy by giving a family livestock and teaching them how to build a business with it. I’ve donated bees, ducks, and even part of a cow. They give you a gift card to print.
Last minute gift? Most online donations offer a certificate or gift card to print and wrap your donation as a gift in an envelope or box. Or make your gift card, it’s free on Canva.
Take a minute to investigate the brands you buy
Enter “how sustainable is (brand name)” in your browser - hopefully Ecosia so you donate trees as you search the internet.
Look the brand name up on sites that research or even certify companies for taking actions to reduce emissions, water use, solid waste, and toxic chemical use. Here are a few sites I use:
A certified B-Corp company or brand has to achieve high social and environmental standards. Find out if your favorite brand meets these standards at Find A B-Corp.
BlueSign® certifies companies that use only environmentally safe chemicals. Search brands with the Bluesign Finder.
TheGoodTrade has several articles on how to buy sustainable apparel, like this one “99 Sustainable Fashion Brands Ranked According To Budget (2023).”
If a company donates to OnePercentForThePlanet.org then they are serious about supporting a healthier planet. The site has a way to search by brands.
2) Shop local to support more than your local economy
Buy produce and gifts from local growers and makers.
My town’s holiday parade included local craft vendors. So many unique and cool items for gift ideas. I picked up locally made jams perfect for friend gifts.
If you like a real tree, buy it from a local farm, not one that’s been shipped in.
Even if it’s sold in the parking lot of a local mall or gas station they should be able to tell you where it was grown.
3) Buy used gifts - sometimes, people appreciate them just as much as newly made ones and often can’t tell the difference.
I love buying books, especially for the grandkids, and often find ones that barely look used. Search online for independent used bookstores in your area to support your local economy.
You can afford to buy top brand names when you shop at consignment shops. Learn more here: “7 Top Online Consignment Shops for Selling Your Clothes”
Buying used often means buying locally. It reduces transportation and manufacturing emissions, two of the leading causes of greenhouse gases.
4) Direct ship online purchases.
Why ship it to you for wrapping if you’re going to ship it to a friend or family member?
Most online stores will wrap an item for you if you tell them it’s a gift.
5) Cook from scratch and find ways to do this more often.
When you cook from scratch you eat whole foods which…
Help you and your family live and be healthier and,
Makes the planet healthier because processed foods mean emissions and chemicals - both bad for you and the planet.
6) Make plans for the leftovers. If you plan; you'll have containers ready to send leftovers home with guests or freeze them. In the US alone, one-third of the food produced is thrown out. That’s just unacceptable!
This is a great use of those cottage cheese and butter tubs. They are great for filling up with leftovers for guests to take home or,
Buy a bunch of reusable zip-close bags as guest gifts. Give them their leftovers and let them know it’s a reusable food storage bag and a little holiday gift.
Want an easy way to get more involved in the fight for the climate?
In less than five minutes a day, the Climate Action Now app will help you send emails to elected officials or bigwigs at businesses telling them about environmental actions they need to take. I love this app because I love my planet. Get the CAN app today!
The goal of the Don’t Waste It blog is to help you find ways to prevent waste and help make the planet and its inhabitants healthier. When we reduce wasted emissions, water, and materials, we reduce the damage these things do to Mother Earth.
Let’s learn to tread lightly on this planet all year round.
Happy Holidays,
From Jen Thilman
The Waste Not Coach and author of the Don’t Waste It blog
If you like my tips, please share them on your socials
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