Find gift ideas that bring joy and have a positive ecological impact.
Lets be honest, we all enjoy the exchanging of gifts. But have you ever considered the environmental impact that gifts have on the world? Times such as Easter, Christmas and birthdays are when we sometimes purchase more than we need and create more waste due to number of gifts bought and their associated packaging. If you are focused on being more sustainable, there are ways to exchange gifts and minimise your impact on the environment - without losing any of that joy that it brings. Here are some simple ways to up your game in exchanging more sustainable, eco-friendly and meaningful gifts.
Step it up with your wrapping skills
Our homes are filled with many appliances, and really, we couldn’t go a day without most of them, however, you should be taking precautions to avoid the risk of electrocution in the home. In order to avoid this, it’s super important that you inspect your appliances regularly for any damage. Always ensure that your appliances are switched off before you give them a clean. Most importantly, switch off your appliances when they are not in use!
- Re-use previously received gift boxes, wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags. Once you’ve received a gift, keep what was used to wrap it and use it another time.
- Check what’s around the house! You can use anything really to wrap a gift up and if it makes sense, go for it! Some ideas include newspapers, magazines, cloth napkins or nice glass containers.
- There is no need to bulk up a present with unnecessary filler unless you know that this can be recycled or that the receiver themselves will reuse this. If you want to make the gift more appealing, why not try out some natural decorations such as dried leaves or pinecones.
Make it yourself
There is nothing more meaningful than receiving a gift that someone has put time and effort into creating. A home-made gift will be often more valued by the recipient than a store-bought gift. Handmade gifts can vary from home-made jams, biscuits, knitted items and artwork.
Re-use pre-loved gifts
Exchanging pre-loved gifts (and we aren’t necessarily referring to re-gifting) has not been that popular a choice in the past, but seeking out pre-loved items is making a resurgence. These types of gifts are more friendly on the environment and it ensures the gift itself is even more personal to the recipient. A few ideas of pre-loved gifts include vintage clothing, DVDs, CDs, musical instruments and books.
Give an experience
There are so many exciting experience gifts to give. Not only will gifting an experience reduce the waste involved in buying and wrapping the gift, but it will also be more memorable for the person receiving the gift. Examples include cooking classes, balloon rides, walking tours, art classes, gardening classes and wine tasting, to name a few. It may even be a great idea to join them in the experience so you can share the memory together. These gifts will hold value in them for years.
Next time you have someone’s birthday or special event coming up, be mindful about the impact on the environment that your gift choice and its packaging has. Stop, think and plan. The more prepared you are with your gifts, the more time you will have to ensure a sustainable thoughtful gift to give.
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