Environmental gifts

[BonnesVacances]

I want to buy gifts this year to encourage people to switch to more environmentally friendly living. But I'm not really sure where to start. Any ideas?

Following this as I’d like to too

Bamboo/stainless steel straws
Reusable make up pads
Facecloths
Water bottle
Travel mug for coffees
Nice shopping bags

No toiletries packed in plastic...replace shower gel and bottled shampoo with soap and solid bar shampoo.

Water bottles and reusable coffee travel mugs.

Wildflower seeds

I often buy gifts from here www.ethicalsuperstore.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwv5uKBhD6ARIsAGv9a-yOTYVsTp9qg-RxEbOup3JNe-49rquqtG6Jcoq6l5cUYSck_-dmjzgaAnsLEALw_wcB

Veg box subscription
Ten Teas explorer box tenteas.co.uk/products/ten-teas-explorer-box
Soap subscription www.thesoappeople.co.uk/products/5-soap-bars-per-month-subcription
Solar powered phone charger

See what they have first. I have all the water bottles/reusable bags that I need. Also have facecloths, hankies...

Something from the Nearly New Cashmere Company or Turtle Doves, to show that preloved clothing needn’t be grim?

Reduce the number of people you buy for first! If you have children, encourage a play date after Christmas Day instead of gifts and they can play with each others new stuff.
I was quite evangelical about my bar shampoo and soap and my crocheted face cloths and didn't receive a single toiletry :-)

My mum wanted to do a "non-material" Christmas so bought me a gift card with Lend With Care 5 years ago and I'm still using it now 😊 It's a lovely scheme where you log onto their website and choose an individual from another country to pass on your gift amount to as a business loan. They then pay back in small affordable amounts when their business succeeds and you can then reinvest in someone else.

lendwithcare.org/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv5uKBhD6ARIsAGv9a-x0GXAJLHP5JkRydoPePXpKxKIZBQaZCPEszjr9tdATHBHcdkEh8ScaAg_3EALw_wcB

If you were interested OP, they sum it all up much better than I did!

I agree with checking what they have first. As great as they are, if you buy a bamboo travel cup or some reusable make-up removal pads and someone already has then then they're not eco friendly it's just more stuff. That said things like nice bars of soap wrapped in paper are always useful as they're consumable.

@mummabubs what a fabulous scheme!
Thankyou for sharing

I second, first check what the people already have. We are a family of three and have 5 coffee cups and 6 stainless steel water bottles and enough reusable bags to last several lifetimes

Also, not everyone is happy with certain items, I personally am glad I found a shampoo 3 people on the house can use, a random bar would most likely be gathering dust.

Reduce the amount of people you buy. Don’t go for hampers, I find them the adult version of a party bag. If you can’t think of something, get them food or drink to open with an invitation to dinner or brunch.

Membership or subscription for something they use or go to anyway.

If you have to do secret santa we found that several decent bars of chocolate always go down well. Not boxes.

Some great ideas here, thanks.

No worries @Queenfreak 😊 I'd never heard of them before that and we've since bought gift cards for several friends and family members. It really is an amazing scheme.

Buy secondhand or consumable.

Buying secondhand is probably one of the most beneficial things for the planet you can do.

I bought some bamboo toothbrushes, reusable straws and hair ties/scrunchies made from recycled materials in home bargains recently.

I probably wouldn’t buy anyone a reusable travel mug/bottle because it seems like everyone already has them.

If someone gave me a bamboo toothbrush I'd be . It's a weird gift.

The veg box subscriptions etc are better. Or as you say, second hand gifts.

Cash. Then you don't buy anything that won't get used.

Can you have conversations with the people you buy gifts for to either buy less gifts such as a family and/or friends secret Santa of consumables not plastic/stuff or plan a shared experience instead of gifts. We don’t buy adults we do a £10 eat or drink secret Santa and with MIL we do a lovely meal in December. With family friends we do a kids secret Santa across the 5 families. We all feel we are consuming less and making better environmental choices this way.

Re the soap though, I personally hate soap and never use it...
Plus I think having more than one reusable bottle/travel cup is useful.
I guess it shows we are all different. But hopefully you know the people you are buying for!
What about candles? They are consumable. If you get locally made ones then that would be more environmentally friendly.

Gift voucher for Readly?

@Bellie99

Bamboo/stainless steel straws Reusable make up pads Facecloths Water bottle Travel mug for coffees Nice shopping bags

Another vote for ‘buy gifts for fewer people / make really really sure it’s something they want’ as the most eco option. For example I would use none of these things listed, also I’m quite happy with my existing soap and shampoo and have a fussy kid so couldn’t really use a veg box. A voucher for an eco online shop maybe?

Cash
Oxfam goat
Something second hand

I don't use straws, don't wear make up so don't need make up pads, don't use face cloths, don't use travel mugs, have enough water bottles, have enough shopping bags.

Soap is nice but I just use el cheapo from the supermarket, it's 95p, I don't need anything fancier.

Between friends we make things for each other. Parents I buy books (paper or Kindle).

I'd only give something obviously eco to a person who shows interest, otherwise it's horrendously preachy.