Sustainable Guide to Gifting
With the holiday season right around the corner, gifting has been on my mind. I love knowing that I found the perfect gift, and I especially love knowing that my gift will be a complete surprise that they’ve never heard of. One thing that shouldn’t be a surprise is how important it is to me to live a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly life, and although I wouldn’t force my views on other people, I think there’s a happy middle ground of buying the right gift that’s also green. With that spirit in mind, I’ve rounded up a few products I like that also meet my personal sniff-test for not being landfill fodder. Without further ado, here’s my list of gifts ideas for the Scouts in your life:
(I do not receive any commission for the products I’ve listed here, but if I figure out how to cash in you’ll be the second to know after my accountant)
The company RAREFORM recycles old billboards and turns the vinyl into products like backpacks, purses, and accessories. I think this wallet is especially cute, but they have lots of great options that you can sort by color on the website. One of the best things about their products is that they’re weather-proof, since billboards are made to withstand the elements. Don’t worry if your camping duffle gets wet or if something leaks in your toiletry bag. These products are cute, functional, made from recycled materials, and are great conversation starters.
P.S. They also make surfboard covers???? I wish I got to go surfing often enough that I needed my own surfboard cover.
Another slam dunk gift: a reusable water bottle! Everyone could use one, and most of us could use a few. Here are a couple cute options from Corkcicle. Corkcicle products are available online, as well as in lots of stores, and I like that the opening is wide enough for ice cubes and that you can change out the lid for a straw top if you prefer.
Corkcicle does some artist collabs, like this one Keith Haring, as well as some with Rifle Paper Co. This one is my personal favorite bottle, but I couldn’t link the photo.
As you may already know if you follow Troop 7B on twitter, I loooove my Yetis. I have a few Yeti tumblers so I can have mango iced tea on hand AT ALL TIMES. I use them to bring my iced coffee into work, and I keep one full of tea all the time. They can’t go in the dishwasher, but they’re easy to rinse out (I give mine a good scrub about once a week). My silicone and metal straws both fit great into the mouthpiece, and overall I couldn’t be happier with the quality. Check out Yeti for yourself, and in the meantime take a look at this special Whataburger Yeti. It’s my favorite one I’ve got.
Available here.
Next up is a gift that’s less traditional. This might be a gift that you save for someone you know is into conservation and fart jokes. I first heard about Who Gives a Crap while visiting Australia this year. At the end of every demonstration at the wildlife reserve, there was a call to switch to bamboo toilet paper. Australia’s wildlife is heavily dependent on tree populations and it’s not surprising that Aussies take tree conservation seriously. Who Gives a Crap is based in Australia (but ships worldwide ((or should I say BUTT ships worldwide))) and makes bamboo-based toilet paper. Not only is bamboo more sustainable than traditional materials, but this company also donates 50% of its profits to building sanitation infrastructure in emerging nations. According to their data, nearly 40% of the world’s population lacks access to a toilet. That blows my mind (and butt)!! As if this company needed another plus, they use recyclable/compostable packaging that’s super cute and cheerful. Check out their website, and maybe give this gift to yourself as well.
P.S. This company also makes sustainable paper towels and tissues. I made the switch to bamboo paper towels a while ago, but the ones I find at Target still come in a plastic film unlike these.
Another gift to check out for a committed Scout: a composter! My family has this one from Amazon, and it works great. It was a little bit of a doozy to assemble (not terribly difficult but you’ll need two sets of hands), but it has all the features we like. No animals get into it, it’s easy to crank, easy to get into for removing soil and adding materials; all around a great buy.
As long as you’re on the compost train, consider a few helpful accessories like these, also available on Amazon.
This compost starter took us from materials to soil in no time at all. It’s not necessary for composting, but it can give you a nice boost when you’re starting out. Available here.
This is the kitchen bin that my family uses. It holds just over a gallon of scraps, and we pull some good brown material out of the recycling bin to add whenever we empty this into the composter. This bucket has a charcoal filter to help reduce odors. Both the bucket and filter are easy to clean, and we’ve been using it for months with zero complaints. Available here.
If you’re looking for a practical gift, I highly recommend a set of nice pantry containers. My fiancé and I use these from OXO, and have completely eliminated plastic wrap from our lives, and rarely need to use a Ziplock. Instead, all leftovers, lunches, and snacks go into reusable, containers that are easy to wash. We’re big fans of OXO products because they’re high-quality and look great, but any sturdy reusable container is a good option. These types of containers are especially great if you have the option to buy food in bulk! That’s my ultimate grocery-shopping dream.
Another practical gift option that could function as the actual gift or the giftwrap is a reusable bag. I use them at the grocery store, Target, as overnight bags, you name it. You can pick up a few from your favorite grocery store, or find a cute one online. I like this one that’s a riff on the classic plastic bag. Reusable bags are easy to find and I’d always be happy to receive one.
Now that you’ve got the gift let’s talk a little more about wrapping. My family has been saving gift bags for as long as I can remember, and I’ll be wrapping Christmas gifts this year in bags that I used last year, the year before, the year before that…. One of my favorite ways to spruce up a gift is to tie a sprig of fresh rosemary to it with twine, or another herb or flower from my yard. In addition to using the materials you already have, I love the knot-wraps from LUSH. There are how-to-tie videos on their website, and the wraps can be used to package gifts, worn in your hair, or tied up to be tote bags, skirts, or anything else you can imagine. This particular wrap is perfect for the VSCO girl in your life, or anyone else who wants to #savetheturtles.
And there you have it! My holiday gift guide for the Scouts in your life. Have a happy and safe holiday season, and check out the Troop 7B Facebook group if you need some distraction from your family gathering.
