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The unfortunate reality is, Sustainable options are usually more expensive and less accessible. Consumers must go out of their way to help the environment, and most people simply cannot afford it. We cannot blame consumers for just buying what is strategically marketed to them . It is also irresponsible to assume everyone has the necessary budget to live sustainably. However, gifts are the perfect place to spend that extra penny on something sustainable. With the holidays approaching, I am here to provide some sustainable, and hopefully inexpensive, gifts. The search ends here.
Mom
Your mom does everything and deserves some self-care. Treat her to a hot cup of tea in the morning with Alaya Tea, a sustainable tea brand with plastic free packaging and loose tea leaves from a biodynamic farm in India. Elevate the bathroom with a ceramic soap dish or a sustainably sourced hand towel from Gifts for Good. For her relaxing night-in, consider a pack of dissolvable eye masks.Â
Dad
Dads can be difficult to shop for, especially when they say they don’t want anything. Bombas’s socks is an easy fix. If your dad needs his morning coffee, buy him San Lazaro Coffee—it is sustainably sourced and promotes the employment of Honduras women. For the dad that’s always on the go, consider getting him a ceramic mug.Â
SiblingÂ
If your sibling is new to college, consider a mesh tote bag to make grocery shopping easier. For the sibling that loves makeup, consider Izzy, a zero-waste makeup brand. If your sibling is obsessed with skincare, the brand Three Ships Beauty has sustainable skincare for all kinds of skin. For the older sibling that just moved into their first apartment, help them save money with reusable paper towels.Â
Nothing says sustainable like homemade. However, if a homemade gift feels too difficult, consider homemade wrapping! The U.S. produces 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper per year. Approximately 2.3 million pounds of this ends up in landfills. As reported by Brightly, “ribbons and bows are a problem, too: if every family reused two feet of ribbon, it would save enough to tie a bow around the planet”. Eco-friendly wrapping paper is always a great option, but even paper grocery bags, fabrics, old newspapers and book pages, or jars create a simple way to reduce wrapping paper waste and save money!Â
If none of these ideas appeal to you, here are some great sustainable websites to check out! Gifts for Good has a $25 and under section! For Days has every category necessary to fit a family. Finally, Made Trade only supports eco-friendly brands and specializes in gifts.Â
Happy holidays everyone!