Black Friday may have passed but holiday shopping still needs to be done. While it’s easy to get caught up in finding the perfect gift, you should remember to be eco-conscious in your shopping. I know it’s tough when you’re bombarded with ads to buy stuff but before you reach for your wallet, decide if this item is really worth it.
Will this be useful in a year?
Look at both the gifts you gave and received last year and see how many are still being used. If your mom only used her fancy coffee-maker a handful of times, you probably want to go with a different gift. Don’t give in to one hit wonders, read online reviews or talk to people that have tried the item you’re interested in. It’s also important to look at the life of the product. Is this sometime that’s intended to last for months or years? Constantly replacing products just adds to the world’s waste problem.
Cut down on packaging!
Before you head out to pick up some wrapping paper look at what you have on hand. Bows, ribbons, and gift bags can be saved and reused from year to year. Newspaper is a cute vintage wrapping paper alternative that helps cut down on paper waste. Try to reuses boxes you have lying around for bigger presents. Remember when you’re wrapping up gifts, less is better for the environment.
Not all gifts have to be material.
There are lots of ways to celebrate your loved ones for the holidays. You can bake cookies or treat them to dinner. You can take them to an event they’ve been wanting to see or go for a day trip together. You could also pay for a subscription like Netflix or to a meal plan. Additionally you can donate to a charity of their choice or sponsor an someone in need.
It may not be much, but small steps like these can start us thinking about how to reduce our impact on the environment.