Eco-friendly gift giving: how to be the greenest person at your holiday event

Are you, like us, scheduled to go out to do your holiday shopping in the next few days? Are you contemplating sustainable gifts made from highly engineered materials that might be compostable after the object has run its course? It is not a bad idea, but it is also probably very expensive and not entirely necessary.

Whatever your budget, you can find local alternatives with dedicated artisan skill and well-sourced materials.

No, we are not advocating to gift highly polluting plastic objects per se. On the contrary, however, we do think we should approach gifting with thoughtfulness, protecting the planet and our bank accounts, while giving presents that people around you will appreciate.

So, to make the process a bit less stressful, we leave you a couple dos and don’ts.

Don’t:

1. Gift an already eco-friendly person the staples of eco-friendly living.

If your friends have been aiming to live sustainably for a while, they will have the basic kit. Unless you know that they already need a replacement, they don’t need another water bottle or a new lunchbox to take to work. Living sustainably is not only about consuming less plastic, but also about consuming less. Period.

They will likely have at least one that fulfills their needs. Unless explicitly requested, go for something they don't already have!

2. Overspend in highly engineered biodegradable materials.

Opt for natural materials, such as cotton, wool or wood. They are likely to be as durable and made to decompose in due time.

3. Get everything online. 

Not only will you be saving on the emissions of transporting your shopping from every corner of the country. By going out and searching personally for gifts, you can strengthen your sense of community and support local businesses.

Do:

1. Get your friends experiences, instead of things.

Recent think pieces have pondered about how we lack the time to make new experiences with our loved ones, and live in a constant state of catching up. If you are spending, try and make it be something that you will remember fondly. Go to a cooking class, get you both tickets to the amusement park, spend a day at the fair with all treats on you or just visit a garden center and get new plants together.

2. Show that you know them well by getting them some everyday item that they love.

As prices climb, many of us are cutting back on the little luxuries of life that are not indispensable. If you know your friend regularly goes through an expensive moisturizer or craves some imported cheese that they no longer can afford, surprise them with some. It will never go to waste.

3. Thrift and create.

Keep your Secret Santas on the cheaper end by encouraging your friend group to thrift or make gifts themselves. Little treats can be more exciting and thought out than expensive gifts acquired in a few clicks.

Homemade goes a long way.

And of course, whenever you can, donate! You can make a charitable gift in the name of your loved one, or just do it for yourself, because this is the season to care about the planet and the wonderful people in it. Click here to support Friends of Sustainable Agriculture. Your gift helps continue our sustainability adaptation work with smallholders of coffee, cocoa, palm oil and more.