Thinking Green When Gift Giving

source link

When it comes to gift giving and the holiday season there’s good reason to be a little more green-minded these days. That’s because with all the consumption of products and the simultaneous mad rush by millions upon millions to find the perfect deals for their loved ones the environment is often left behind in the dust.

That being the case, consider some of the following ways to be more eco-friendly with the gift giving this year so everyone including the world around us comes out on top.


1.      Make a gift: Buying presents is never easy because getting the right thing can be tricky and sometimes it’s not exactly from the heart. Making your own gift, on the other hand, can be an entirely different experience with the ultimate personal touch. Also, whether it’s a painting, sculpture, or poem it’s probably using fewer resources than going through the shopping process.

2.      Use public transportation: If making something isn’t on the agenda and you’ll be commuting to the mall or downtown shopping district use public transportation. The more cars on the road the more pollution is spewed into the air.

3.      Seek recycled materials: Depending on the type of gifts you are looking for one amazing green initiative you can take on is to only buy items whose packaging is from recycled materials. A gift made from recyclable materials would be an even greener achievement.

4.      Buy local: Buying from local artisans means supporting products that don’t travel far to get to your area and produce a small carbon footprint. It also helps the local economy.

5.      Usefulness: One thing to consider when buying gifts for others is if the gift is something useful. After all, if it can’t be used, isn’t going to be used, or isn’t something you’re sure the recipient is interested in there is a big element of wastefulness because the item will sit around a person’s home eventually being given away or trashed.

6.      Make it healthy: When it comes to food gifts choose healthy brands and things labeled organic and ‘free trade.’ By supporting the green food industry you can have a part in helping it grow and expanding its influence.

7.      Organic: Food is one thing but other items like clothing and body care products can also be differentiated between organic and non-organic. If you’re thinking about getting any of these for your loved ones do your best to go chemical free.

8.      Gift experiences: Instead of buying actual gifts that take up space and create waste give gifts that are solely for the experience like rock climbing, concert tickets, or passes for a number of museums.

9.      Online gift certificate: Not sure what your loved one wants? An online gift certificate is a great substitute for going shopping for something which may have to be returned.

10.     Recycle wrapping paper: Finally, once you have the gift in hand the next step is to wrap it. However, instead of buying new generic wrapping paper reuse paper or other materials like magazines or old photographs to enclose and decorate your gifts. It can be a fun and creative way to show someone how much you care because of the extra effort you put in.

Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He blogs about Green topics for pros across the U.S. like Tucson, AZ, painters and Durham, NC, exterminators.