Offering gifts is the ultimate sign of gratitude and love. And luckily, companies have made it possible to personalise almost everything so that the recipient will enjoy it fully. Unfortunately, gifts, among many other products, end up in landfills. Only in 2020 retailers were throwing away 25% of returns, contributing to £5.8 of landfill waste. And although some companies are trying to resell returns after cleaning and furnishing them again at discount prices, this doesn’t stop the debris from destroying.
What’s worse is that most of these products are made of environmentally unsustainable materials, from plastics to lithium battery-based electronics. And considering how climate change is increasing in intensity, as extreme weather events hit the entire world in the past two years, some of us may be more aware than others.
We’re talking about your environmentalist friends who are reusing everything and are considerate of nature’s condition. If you want to give them a gift that matters, here are some ideas.
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Reusable everything
If you’ve ever heard your friend talk about how difficult it is to store or carry things around without using plastic-made products, we’re here to tell you can make them a big surprise by offering reusable products for organising food. For example, reusable sandwich stashers made of platinum silicone are best because they can be put in the microwave or washed in dishwasher. Moreover, they’re labelled with non-toxic products and don’t contain BPAs latex.
There’s also the option of gifting them reusable wraps made from beeswax. These products have been all around the internet and are the perfect alternative to plastic wrap. They’re not only more durable and reliable but are also one year’s worth of plastic products, after which you can rest assured as they’re biodegradable.
If you don’t know how to present the gift, you can put it in a fabric sack that can be reused for longer and is also giving the gift a special vibe.
Compost, compost, compost
If your friend is approaching an eco-friendlier lifestyle, they’ll definitely love a recyclable compost bin that also looks good and blends in with the kitchen. With a clean design and a larger size, these composting products are made to mask odours that naturally occur at some point. At the same time, they’re easy to clean and perfect to be stored in the freezer.
You can introduce them to this practice if they haven’t heard about composting yet. This process is a great way to recycle food scraps, save money and create high-quality soil amendments. If your friend has a garden or even just plants around the house, this natural way of fertilisation will help plants live in better environments.
Plants and flowers
There’s nothing better to promote sustainability than to offer plants or flowers that can be offered a second life somewhere safe. This gift is especially great if your friend has a backyard because they’ll be able to replant crops to enrich the area. However, even if they live in an apartment, gifting flowers in pots and plants such as herbs will definitely make their day.
Some of the herbs that live just fine in boxes and containers include:
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Chives
- Mint
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Sage
- Parsley
Besides herbs, some of the best plants to offer include the well-known Calathea, the indestructible Snake plant or the unique Thai Constellation Variegated Monstera.
Participate together at an event for planting trees
What’s better for taking care of the environment than actively participating? These community events where people gather and do some labour work to plant trees are the best for anyone interested in saving the environment and making a difference.
Besides the actual planting, where your physical contribution will be visible, you can also donate whatever sum you like to support the organisation, as most of these businesses are NGOs that need support.
Luckily, many planting events are happening in almost every city on the planet, so you only need to research and find something available within your living area. This occasion is not to be missed because, besides the good you’ll do, you’ll also have the opportunity to bond and deepen your relationship.
Reusable notebook
This gift is perfect for anyone who’s fond of writing but doesn’t want to waste paper. Writing is a real struggle for writers or people who like to journal because they can’t transfer data into digital forms to use them further.
But with a reusable notebook, your friend can get back the feeling of writing by hand, while the information will be saved to an app connected to the notebook so they won’t lose anything that’s necessary. Moreover, writing by hand has been proven to be beneficial to processing information and remembering more compared to typing, which is also helpful if your friend has an exam ahead and needs something to fit their needs.
Sewing machine
A sewing machine looks like an investment, but these days, they’re pretty affordable and incredibly useful for anyone. Think about it, if you’re offering your friend a sewing machine, you’ll always have someone to redo your clothes and make small fixtures, so you won’t even be throwing clothes again!
At the same time, a sewing machine is perfect for anyone who’s trying to create their own clothes instead of constantly purchasing them. If they already have such a tool, you can opt for gifting them related products, from industrial utility shears, thread snippers and seam rippers to spool collections and sewing books.
Sewing clothes comes with many benefits, especially if you don’t find proper attire for your size. Considering that the fast fashion industry prioritises only certain measures, making clothes at home is the best and most entertaining way to create clothes that fit you and make you feel beautiful.
Bottom line
Getting a sustainable gift may take a lot of work, considering how many gifts are nowadays made to be instantly replaced. An eco-friendly gift should be valuable enough to be used for longer, which means it has to be meaningful for the person you’re offering it, so research thoroughly before purchasing it.
