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?

The cups/straws/flannels/bags are fine ideas but we have probably hundreds of bags, too many cups, enough flannels and don't use straws. So more of these things would just gather dust and therefore not be eco-friendly.
An organic veg box or voucher for Riverford (or local community farm preferably) seems like a good option.

Following

In particular I’m looking for sustainable gifts for primary age children.

How about a nice book (second hand) with a lovely message inside? And a nice vegan treat to go alongside, with a paper bookmark

An online magazine subscription
A voucher for their favourite restaurant
If they drive, a voucher for a petrol station.
Favourite tea or coffee with fancy biscuits.

The best thing for the environment is no presents. As an adult, I don't want loads of presents, although i appreciate this isn't the same for everyone.If they care about being more environmentally friendly they will most likely have all these suggestions already. If they don't care, then these sorts of presents are a virtual signalling waste of resources.

I love to receive seeds or plants. Lots of producers have much better environmentally sound production/packaging methods now, too.

Primary age gifts:
Subscription to an online magazine
Second hand / like new toys. Saves money aswell as reusing.
Lessons like swimming or culinary class.
Buy local do avoid big miles.
Something that need.

Buy a reusable Christmas calender that you can have for years.

I care about the environment like anyone else, but it's worth being careful not to be too preachy. TBH I might feel a little patronised if someone bought me a gift which wasn't relevant to my likes/dislikes but was clearly chosen to 'encourage me to switch to more environmentally friendly living'.

It would be like receiving a goat, subtext 'you're not charitable enough so I've forfeited your Christmas gift for you'.

I have no doubt that you don't mean it like that OP, but I would just advise a bit of caution with this.

For a primary school child it depends on the age. A younger one I wouldn’t do any online subscription, an older one (9-11) I would.

The younger the easier to get away with second hand toys or books. The older may feel they are getting cast offs unless they really embrace the environment aspect.

More due to space we often asked for vouchers for days out, grandparents clubbed together for a class.

A friend did a baking set, printed the recipe and put all dry ingredients together in small glass jars and a small cake tin.

Not exiting or attractive but really useful - there are multi packs of silicon lids you can get to use on bowls etc instead of cling film.

Giving a gift is about something the recipient likes, not what you think they should like in order to live a worthier life!

Thanks all. I will take care not to be preachy. I was thinking more along the lines of reusable coffee cups, reusable make up remover and the silicone lids. Just to encourage small changes. Of course now I'm questioning the wisdom of gifting at all, as it is all quite wasteful, isn't it?

This all sounds preachy and a little misguided to me. (I note that you just mentioned you’ll try not to be preachy… but still, I think you’re on the wrong path a little).
A gift is not wasteful as long as you put thought in what the recipient would want and what they would use. It is wasteful if you buy them something that they won’t want or use.

I would first consider what the person would like as a gift. Then consider how I could give that in the most environmentally friendly way. E.g., conscious brands, buy local or second hand, or buy a version of that thing that meets your own criteria of what is environmentally acceptable.

I don’t know… say if you’re buying socks, then look for a local supplier that is environmentally conscious and uses organic cotton or bamboo. Then wrap it in something reusable.

I just think this way is more subtle and less judgemental.

@mummabubs

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.

I love Lend with care! I just saw the other day that I've made 17 loans now. I think it's a brilliant idea.

@BonnesVacances

Thanks all. I will take care not to be preachy. I was thinking more along the lines of reusable coffee cups, reusable make up remover and the silicone lids. Just to encourage small changes. Of course now I'm questioning the wisdom of gifting at all, as it is all quite wasteful, isn't it?

It depends on the recipient. I would be a bit hm, what do I do with another coffee cup (we have a good selection already) and I find make up remover and silicone lids a non-gift unless I would ask for them.

I would go for something they would enjoy and use and think about how to get it and how to gift it instead of looking to hard to change habits.

Sunjars.

Best solar lanterns around and a lovely warm glow.

Leave them outside or on a windowsill during daylight. When its dark use them instead of side lights, low level light (eg bathroom, kitchen do you don't need to put a light on to make a cuppa etc

www.suck.uk.com/mob/products/sunjar/

I think buying someone straws, toothbrush, makeup wipes for Christmas is kind of weird. You wouldn't get someone a pack of plastic straws for Christmas, why would you get them metal ones?

Agree with the people who say that everyone already has reusable drink bottles and bags.

It will depend on your budget, who you are buying for and what is in their local area. Here are some ideas that work on the premise of reducing amounts of plastic and supporting the local area:

• Food / drink that you know they will like that are locally sourced
• voucher to a local experience like a farm
• plants / seeds
• one year membership to the Wildlife Trust or sponsor their favourite animal which you get updates for
• a year's membership to local museum or gardens
• tickets to a play / pantomime in the new year
• cinema voucher
• for older children perhaps building up their own kitchen equipment alongside second hand cookery books (not just baking)

I got DH a Chilly's coffee mug for his birthday - it's one of those super snazzy ones that you chuck in the bottom of your bag and it doesn't leak and keeps your drink hot all day kind of thing. Hope he likes it!

Other things that are very practical:

• Reusable vegetable string bags for supermarket shopping
• Bamboo toothbrushes
• Bamboo travel cutlery set (I love mine and take it with me whenever I travel)
• Bamboo socks - also softer and more comfortable than cotton socks

Basically, anything bamboo!

Sometimes it can feel virtuous and preachy. But I think there are other ways you can achieve something similar.

So, an afternoon tea voucher for an Arboretum or RHS site for example, supports a charity that supports nature, while giving someone a lovely gift. You can also gift membership.

There are lots of small suppliers in the UK, people who make lovely things in a responsible way. You could support one of those.

There are companies like Pela or Elvis and Kresse who recycle unwanted things into new products.

Even down to beer and wine - we have wine that’s made in this country that’s award winning, beers who give spent hops to farmers. There are wines made on estates in Argentina that support social enterprises and put kids into school so that they’re not child labourers.

If you look, you can find almost anything and your gift receiver wouldn’t really know unless you wanted them to.

Many great ideas already, I do feel it would be a bit odd to randomly buy people metal straws or bamboo toothbrushes however I did see boots have a metal spork style utensil in their christmas wares which I might get as a stocking filler for my husband as a jokey but useful item as he takes a heat up lunch to work.
I have also got him some grow your own mushroom kits, even if the mushrooms aren't overly successful the compost produced will boost his 2022 chilli plants.

Cutting down the number of people you gift to means you will also reduce the number of not environmentally friendly things you receive in return. We do a secret santa in family these days so everyone gets a thing they want with a decent budget. For any adults you need to give presents to, consider food/drink as they are things people always use.

Not really a gift but instead of buying Christmas cards from stores you can switch to Christmas slideshows- smartshow-software.com/merry-christmas-slideshow-ideas.php When in digital, this stuff is not that wasteful. Also plantale colored pencils are nice- www.amazon.com/dp/B078WS8SXK?linkCode=ogi&tag=mumsnetforu03-21, I'm thinking about getting them myself.

*plantable

Well metal straws would be appropriate if you knew the recipient used straws. Likewise a reusable coffee mug or make up pads. Why would you buy the latter for someone who doesn't wear make up? Or the former unless you knew they regularly went to Costa? For a thread that's cautioning about being preachy, some of the replies are a bit obvious!