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According to the Environmental Protection Agency, American household waste increases 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day – equating to 1 millions tons each year. When doing your holiday shopping, keep the following in mind if you want to try to reduce your waste this year:
Shop with Meaning
Think about who you’re buying for, of course, but also think about what you’re buying and who you’re buying it from. Prioritizing local, handmade, or up-cycled gifts helps out your community and small businesses. Keep an eye out for gifts with minimal packaging – less to throw away later!
Go Green with Gift Wrapping
Whether it is a purchased gift bag or box that can be used year after year, utilizing newspaper or scrap fabric as wrapping paper, or extra yarn as ribbons, there are numerous options for wrapping your gift that are both beautiful and minimize waste. Remember to save what you can after the gifts are opened, for the following year.
Now, are you looking for the perfect gift that’s also friendly to Mother Nature? We’ve highlighted our top five favorite sustainable gift options to give to the ones you love!
Beeswax Food Wrap
Beeswax food wrap is a natural (and beautiful) alternative to plastic wax. It’s reusable, breathable, and easy to work with. Made with beeswax, tree resin, organic jojoba oil infused into a hemp and organic cotton cloth, you will never want to use plastic wrap again! Bee’s Wrap is a US-based, Certified B Corporation and and member of 1% for the Planet. Bee’s Wrap partners with organizations to remove plastic from oceans, protect pollinators, and inspire environmental stewardship through education. They offer lots of different patterns, but 1% of their Honeycomb Roll sales support The Bee Cause Project, a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering students, teachers, and communities to learn about—and protect—the bees.
Zero Waste Starter Kit
Package Free has the solution to starting a more sustainable lifestyle. This kit includes stainless steel airtight containers, a stainless steel straw, a set of bamboo utensils, and a bamboo toothbrush. Help your loved one jump-start their sustainability journey by gifting them this lovely starter kit! (It’s also currently on sale – 40% off with the code HOLIDAY.)
BatBnb
Did you know a common bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquito-size insects an hour, making them one of the planet’s greatest natural forms of pest control? A BatBnB is a comfortable, safe, and stylish home for bats. By putting one up in your yard, you’ll offer a habitat for an animal in need, while also leveraging their pest eating abilities to significantly reduce the number of mosquitoes and garden pests in your area. This is the perfect gift for any avid gardener in your life who is trying to limit their pesticide usage, or for a wildlife enthusiast!
Local Honey
Want to support your local beekeepers, and give your foodie friends a delicious sustainable gift? Go to localhoneyfinder.org to find where you can get local honey near you! You can either gift just the honey itself, or spruce it up a little – for a fun DIY home project that ends in a unique and personalized creation, check out our “How To Make Infused Honey” blog. Surprise your loved ones with honey specially infused with their favorite herbs and flavors!
Urban Beekeeping Laboratory and Bee Sanctuary
Is there somebody in your life that has no need for things, but loves the bees and wants to make a difference? Consider making a donation in their honor to The Urban Beekeeping Lab, a 503(c) non-profit on a mission to save the bees. Donations will fund cutting-edge research, collaborations, and a community-focused grant program.
