After reading this post, don’t forget to enter our contest – you could win a new dishwasher. Plus, do you have your own story to tell? Send it to greenchallenge@canadianliving.com (no more than 300 words, please), and you could win one of 30 daily prizes.
On any occasion with lots of gifts, I can’t help cringing at the mountains of gift wrap and packaging left over, not to mention the cards, envelopes – and the gifts themselves. I’m a strong believer that gift-giving has gotten excessive in our society, and it’s rarely eco-friendly.
But there are a number of ways you can lessen the environmental impact of gift-giving at holidays and birthdays.
• Ask for less. People often bring gifts and cards to birthday parties or holiday events because they feel it’s expected of them. Worse, these are the times when we buy gifts because we have to buy a gift, not because we come across something we think a friend or family member will really care for – resulting in extra “stuff” for the giftee that they may not want. Make it easy for people by making it clear when gift-giving – or even card-giving – is not necessary.
• Provide alternatives. If you know people will be bringing you gifts, let them know that eco-friendly gifts (consumable items are always a good choice) will be appreciated. Or with close friends and family, suggest alternatives to traditional gift-giving, such as a group dinner at a nice restaurant, group-purchased larger gifts (that the recipient really wants), or a gift draw or secret Santa so that each person has only one gift to purchase.
• When giving a gift that you’re not sure about, provide the receipt. Then, if the recipient doesn’t care for it, they can return it rather than having it follow the closet-storage-garage sale-landfill route.
• Give homemade when you can. You’ll avoid the environmental costs of packaging, manufacturing and shipping while giving a gift of yourself.
• Give services rather than things. For your sister, how about a massage? For families with kids, gift cards to the movies or other events are a good pick.
• Cut back on the wrapping. Reuse old paper. When you must buy new, try to find it recycled. Wrap gifts in reusable gift bags (here’s a pattern for some you can sew) or boxes (try this origami gift box). Or get creative with ripped-out magazine pages, scraps of fabric or anything else you have around the house.
• Buy eco-friendly. Support local businesses; choose gifts with little to no packaging. Buy presents made from recycled, reclaimed or sustainable materials, instead of plastic.
What are some of your tips for cutting down on gifts, and choosing gifts that are eco-friendly?
Today’s code word: gifts.
Read more:
• 19 eco-friendly gift ideas
• Why organic roses?
• Help the environment in just 10 minutes a day
HEY, these are some great ideas. I’d like to share what I do with gift wrapping. I know in advance my family and friends’ tastes, e.g. favorite cosmetics, teas, etc., so I buy very inexpensive, but nice reusable bags. For instance, if it’s perfuume or cosmetics, I can usually find a nice little cosmetic gift (even in a dollar store). I recently found some large fabulous totes in a department store on clearance for $3.00 each and I only have a few left. My “wrapping” is always a usable gift as well.
Comment by Wanda Pander — April 9, 2008 @ 1:57 am
Loot bags are a big problem too. Those dollar store items that last two days are often 100% garbage (i.e. no part is recyclable)
If you really need a ‘loot’ gift, tie it to the theme of the party and get one quality gift.
e.g. We had a ‘zoo’ party and each child got an animal search book.
Comment by Dave — April 9, 2008 @ 9:10 am
Dave, that’s a great idea. Another thing I’ve heard of is giving kids seedlings as gifts (like sunflowers), planted in biodegradable cups.
Wanda, I like to use reusable items as gift wrap too. Another idea is dish towels, or if the person you’re giving a gift to is a sewer, you could wrap the gift in a nice piece of fabric that they can use.
Comment by Kat — April 9, 2008 @ 9:31 am
My girlfriend and I have sent the same birthday card back and forth each birthday for years. I recently also told my mom and her 5 sisters that recycling the cards also is a good idea. Just write a note on the side (make it small) with the sister and date. It will be something personal for each to talk about when the card is full of great notes.
Comment by Linda in NB Canada — April 9, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
Along the line of no-junk-stuff-loot-bag: in years past I would have the children colour/decorate a paper sandwhich bag as one party activity and then we’d make cookies or decorate cookies or cupcakes for them to take home. No one missed the junkie toys and parents were happy not to see them either. parents were also happy to not have a huge bag of candy to deal with. The paper bag can be recycled.
This past weekend for my 13 year olds last BIG party the girls each selected a wrapped thank you/prize gift from a basket of stuff to take home. Things my daughter knew all of her friends liked…pens, note books, sample size bath and body products, hair things…
Parties do not have to be expensive or fancy to be fun and memorable!
Comment by AJ in ON Canada — April 9, 2008 @ 1:29 pm
I make a lot of home preserves. I decorate the cover or just tie a ribbon around the cap and use this as a gift. A person can also use jars and put home made ‘latte mix”, etc. in them. A person can make poppycock or just plain popcorn and put it in a recycled bag with a gift certificate for a movie, or movie rental. I use empty jars or coffee cans (any metal cans) for gift containers. Also, I always save the wrapping paper from flowers I buy for myself and use it to wrap another gift.
Comment by E. MacLeod — April 9, 2008 @ 2:00 pm
Small things:
First of all, I have relatives in far-flung places, and I religiously send out a card and a letter toeach one of them every Christmas. Some of them are elderly, and a letter is what they want most in the world; I therefore feel no guilt at allin buying and sending Christmas cards. For years, however, I have been saving money/saving the environment/saving my sanity by re-using the cards in two ways:
Firstly, Christmas cards are put away after Christmas and re-assessed in some dark afternnon in February when I’m feeling the winter blues. Some are put aside to make collages for more cards for the next year. You can use scrap-booking type techniques with recycled materials to make great cards. Or you can add other materials that have been recycled to make pictures. Others are attacked with a pair of wavy scissors to make Christmas gift tags. If I’m feeling lik eit, they can be hole-punched and a bit of embroidery thread added for the “tie”- otherwise just leave the pieces as they are and stick them on with tape.
Birthday and other cards are not quite so adaptable, but they can do great things, too. The same things- new cards made of old cards plus extra bits,and gift tags. I just receive the most wonderful card from my sister, which was a picture made of old fuzzy-felt pieces!
I do keep large-ish cloth bags in Christmas patterns from year to year to dish out family presents, and I do try and use a cloth cover of some kind for housewarming, shower and wedding gifts. Sheets and pilowcases, receiving blankets, dish towels, napkins and cloth dusters all make good covers.
I’ve never tried coffee cans- thanks for the tip!
Comment by Caroline — April 11, 2008 @ 12:39 pm