Because my birthday and Christmas are a few days apart, my mind is usually flooded with gift ideas at this time of year, remembering everything I’ve been wanting the whole year that my wallet hasn’t allowed for. However, this year, for some reason, I haven’t had any ideas of what to tell my family when they ask for what I want.
The past few months, I’ve been taking extra steps to make sure my actions have been eco-friendly and sustainable. Bringing reusable bags on my grocery shopping trips, purchasing a hot and cold cup from Starbucks to reduce the amount of single-use cups I use, and trying to form proper recycling habits. Trying to keep up with these practices, I’ve been stumped on what I want for Christmas because I’m trying to be mindful of creating extra waste and buying clothes or other things I don’t need. I’ve decided to ask my family for a few things that are more sustainable than another pair of leggings or a new purse. If you’re also stumped on Christmas gift ideas, I’ve compiled a list of a few gifts that will lessen your eco-footprint and help you develop sustainable strategies going into the new year!
- A Reusable Cup
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Reusable cups are a great item to have in lessening the waste you produce. Instead of buying single-use coffee and plastic cups 7 days a week, ask for a reusable cup! Some stores that sell reusable cups for their own products include: Starbucks, Davids Tea, Tim Hortons. You can also find great reusable cups at places like Winners, Walmart, Chapters, and so many other places!
- Tickets to an event
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Although they can be expensive, tickets to an event would be the perfect gift to ask someone who is willing to spend more money. Perhaps you’d prefer tickets to a sports team you love, to a musical that’s coming to town, or a concert that’s coming up. Memories and quality time with the people you love are bound to last longer than clothes or other material gifts!
- Books / Audiobook subscription
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While audiobook subscriptions produce nearly zero waste, some people prefer reading from physical books. Physical books can be reused, resold, and donated for others to read for years and years, so although they aren’t as sustainable as audiobooks, they’re still a great alternative to other non-reusable gifts. Either choice would be a great gift to ask for if you’re looking to reduce your impact on the environment and expand your horizons to the world of literature!
- Thrift Store Gift Cards
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Thrift shopping can be a great way to practice sustainability. Reusing clothing and items that have run out of their use in another home saves a lot of resources that would go into making more clothing/items. Since thrift stores have great variability from one store to the other, you could ask for a gift card to your favourite place. Thrift stores and consignment stores that have different locations for more variety that do sell gift cards include Value Village, Talize, Savers, Goodwill, and Platos Closet.
- Reusable Grocery Bags
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Aside from reusable grocery bags, such as the ones available at Walmart, Sobeys, and other grocery stores, purchasing reusable fruit and vegetable bags are also a great step toward reducing your environmental footprint. Those plastic bags that hold your fruit and vegetables for about 30 minutes from the time that you collect the items to the time that you put it in your fridge or fruit bowl at home can be eliminated with the use of reusable bags. Available at Anthropologie or Amazon!
- Good Apparel
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Although a bit more on the pricey side, this company strives “to create a model of production that allows the environment, our staff and the consumer to benefit”. Their website claims that “the utilization of locally sourced and sustainable fibers is always at the core of the design process and oftentimes determines the style direction of the collection”. A great choice for your stylish but eco-conscious friend!