The holidays are wonderful time for the most part—full of joy, time with family, and giving back to those who are less unfortunate than ourselves. On the flip side, however, it can be a time of great waste; thousands of gifts bought only to be thrown out, piles of garbage from wrapping paper, etc. To try to reduce the intense waste, I decided to make a list of four ways to have a more sustainable holiday season:
1. Use newspaper instead of wrapping paper:
Old newspapers are easy to come by and are often tossed in the recycling bin anyways, so why not make use of it? Your gifts will get a cool vintage vibe and you’ll also save some money.
2. Give food instead of things:
Everyone likes food, so why not bake some treats instead of buying a gift you’re unsure that someone will use? This is a great idea for someone you don’t know very well, like a coworker. Pinterest has a ton of great recipes—just make sure to check if they have any allergies!
3. Try non-dairy alternatives for baking:
The meat and dairy industries are the largest contributors to climate change. Help the environment out by switching out dairy with alternatives like coconut milk for your baking. There are plenty of recipes for tasty Vegan treats, like these chocolate candy cane sandwiches featured above!
4. Buy gifts from socially conscious companies:
If you can afford to spend a bit extra, try sourcing gifts from companies that a social mission. A company that I personally support is MetoWe which gives its profits to their charity organization Free the Children. Check out their website—they have amazing and unique gifts, including their handmade Rafiki bracelets made by women in Kenya.
The holidays are all about having fun and relaxing, but it’s important to also keep sustainability in mind. I hope that these easy tips gave you some ideas on how that’s possible!
Image sources: Google images, https://www.pinterest.ca/, https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/, https://shop.metowe.com/ca/shop-all