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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Vic chapter.

Christmas can definitely feel like the ultimate consumer holiday, what with the constant bombardment of advertisements to buy shiny new items for our loved ones to show them we care. All of the consuming and gift giving can be hard on the environment, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve made a list of 5 strategies for greener gift giving.

 

1. Shop local

We all love the comfort and ease of online shopping—I mean, who wouldn’t want to get all their presents purchased while sipping coffee in bed—but online shopping means a lot of carbon and fuel being used to get your purchases to your door. Instead, try shopping local. Yes, the shops likely had to ship their items to their store, but you are eliminating one step of the shipping process and also helping out a local business, so it’s a win-win.

 

2. Give consumable goods

Instead of gifting someone a trinket or knickknack that will just collect dust, try giving goods that can be used up. A bottle of wine, a box of fair trade chocolates, or even soap and shampoo can all make excellent consumable gifts.

3. Rethink your Christmas wrapping

It’s easy to give in to the temptation to use the beautiful Christmas wrapping that comes out every year, but wrapping paper is really not great for the environment. It can’t easily be reused—unless you open your presents with extreme precision and iron out the paper, but who really does that? Try using reusable wrapping bags, newspaper, or make a cute tote bag a part of your gift.

 

4. Buy second-hand

Thrift stores are an awesome place to find gifts. If you’re looking for that perfectly unique item for someone special, chances are you can find it at a thrift store. The added bonus is that it’s a super inexpensive and environmentally conscious way to shop.

 

5. Choose ethical products

Take some time to check out companies that pay fair wages, use sustainable resources and put effort into being eco-friendly. It might take a little bit more work on your part, but you can feel good knowing that your gifts are good for the planet.

 

How will you give greener gifts this holiday season? Let us know by commenting below!

Kate Harder

U Vic '20

Kate is a linguistics major at the University of Victoria. Although she is only 22 years old, Kate is truly a granny at heart. She could not imagine a world in which sweaters, dogs, coffee, and brunch did not exist. In her spare time Kate likes to create inspirational quotes to live by. Her quote of the moment is "Life is a party and I have the streamers!"
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Ellen is a fourth year student at the University of Victoria, completing a major in Writing and a minor in Professional Writing: Editing and Publishing. She is currently a Campus Correspondent for the UVic chapter, and spends most of her free time playing Wii Sports and going out for breakfast. She hopes to continue her career in magazine editing after graduation, and finally travel somewhere farther than Disneyworld. You can follow her adventures @ellen.harrison