Sustainable Gifting 2023
From Black Friday and Cyber Monday, everyone seems to be in gift shopping mode this time of year. In fact, according to Tech Radar, this year’s Black Friday sales were the most lucrative to date. That being stated, before you continue shopping, shipping orders, and gathering reams of wrapping paper, it’s worth taking a moment to consider ways that you can make holiday gift-giving more sustainable. Here are a few steps you can take to get started:
Skip the Wrapping – Wrapping paper comes in many styles and designs, and while they can add to overall gift presentation, the paper does not help with reducing waste. There are many ways to get creative, from reusing paper (newspapers, magazines) to wrapping with reusable bags and containers, or repurposed cloth. With cloth, you can always use a scarf or other gift item for the wrap, and there are many ways to get creative with wrapping such as Furoshiki, a Japanese way to elegantly wrap cloth. If you still find yourself shopping for new wrapping paper, try to find products that are made from recycled paper, and you can always repurpose or recycle it again.
Buy Local – When planning your holiday menu or deciding where to shop, keep in mind that you can save on emissions, shipping costs and containers, and support your local community by choosing both local and sustainably sourced food and gifts. Whether you choose to shop at the local farmers market for a farm-to-table holiday feast or pull from your own organic aquaponic garden, you can offer both fresher and more sustainable meals. Additionally, by shopping local for gifts, you can support small business owners and benefit your local economy.
Give Sustainably – When choosing gifts to give this holiday, you may want to consider products that help your loved ones adopt a sustainable lifestyle. There are so many great ways to give green gifts including but not limited to reusable straws, composting kits, solar powered lighting system, gardening and aquaponics systems such as AquaGrove, online books (instead of paperback), reusable water bottles and more. If you are shopping for an AquaGrove gardener, items such as seeds, fish food, feeding timers, and system accessories are always a welcome gift.
Give Outside of the Box – Many gifts don’t need any packaging at all. Think about it… Experiences such as concert tickets, a Groupon, a night out, sporting events, vacations, and cleaning services are all gifts that make an impact without impacting the planet. It’s easy to give big without the big box and packaging.
Give to Give Back – Did you know that you can give gifts that give back on multiple levels? There are numerous nonprofit organizations that work to combat climate change and offer sustainable solutions for a greener and healthier planet, and they are always looking for support. Consider symbolic “adoptions” of wildlife through WWF for a child (or adult) who loves animals, or planting a tree in someone’s name and honor through The Nature Conservancy; maybe you have an ocean enthusiast who would like gear or a membership to 4Ocean, Surfrider Foundation or another nonprofit working to keep beaches clean. Gift options are limitless, and they give back to the nonprofit group receiving the financial support, as well as to the planet and the gift recipient.
You can make this year’s gift giving practices more sustainable with just a few extra steps in planning and shopping. Giving sustainably not only feels good, but it is good for our environment, which is a gift that continues to give back well beyond the holiday season.
To learn more about giving the gift of AquaGrove this holiday and how to get started with your own aquaponic garden, contact a team member today.