Christmas can most definitely be the most wonderful time of the year especially with this Green(er) Swaps that we have put together to live your Truly Green Life at this time. There’s no better way to start off this “season of giving” by looking at some Greener Gifting Swaps that we can all consider when sharing our good tidings to all our loved ones.
While we usually encourage less is more, there’s barely no escaping it at this time, and it’s completely okay. Living a Truly Green Life entails sustainability, consistency and a practice of Mindful Shopping, small steps like these Green Swaps can create a huge difference in the quality of our purchases.
1. Traditional Wrapping Paper vs. Recyclable Paper
While we might assume that because its paper, it’s easily biodegradable, one thing to remember is that not all wrapping papers are made the same. Most gifting wrappers are lined with foil, plastic, glitters and other synthetic materials that make it close to impossible for natural decomposition to happen. So the key is to keep it simple, no glitter, no shine, choose recyclable paper whenever possible (takes 2-6 weeks to decompose) or better yet, re-use whatever items you have laying around the house – bottles, shoe boxes, old posters, newspapers or extend the life-cycle of old wrapping papers and magazine covers a little longer, might as well put those to use instead of throwing out completely.
2. Fancy Ribbons vs. Alternative Natural Materials
Similar to wrapping paper, there’s nothing wrong with ribbons per se except that when it’s lined and made out of synthetic materials in it’s entirety it then becomes non-biodegradable, and a nuisance to not only the landfills but also finds its way into our oceans. You can either ditch the ribbon altogether and find some other creative ways to make your package prettier like using used cloth, dried/pressed leaves, barks, plants or paper twines. Or look for ribbons with natural material alternatives, such as – burlap or plant-based ones like bamboo, rattan or jute.
3. Mailed Greeting Cards vs. E-Card
You can find about 1 billion greeting cards in the landfills, each year. Not only does it create more paper waste (card, envelope, stamp, package) and carbon footprint (driving and shipping) but the cost/card in totality do add up significantly. Save a few bucks and the environment while you’re at it by going digital. Tons of e-card design and services are available online for you to choose from. The World Wildlife Federation even offers cute, free design cards for you to use or spend as little as $2-$5 for personalized greeting cards, even the mighty Hallmark has an extensive e-card library for all occasions.
4. Regular Gifts vs. Digital Gift Cards or Homemade Recycled Gifts
We all love giving (and receiving) gifts and there’s no reason to stop doing so, we just have to do our best to do it mindfully. Do your research, support brands and businesses that you believe in, shop local if you can and if you’re feeling extra creative DIY one. It’s all about the thought and nothing screams more “its the thought that counts” than a hand-made one – propagate plants in old bottles for your green thumb friends, DIY candles or learn a new skill by sewing something usable or wood-work a new shelf, the options are endlessly creative. Another better alternative to make sure those gifts are actually used and not returned, give the gift of e-gift cards, you can’t go wrong with it!
For more Greener Swaps, bookmark this page and stay tuned as we will continue to share more tips and tricks through the Green Living Series, every Saturday. More importantly, we want to hear from YOU, so leave a comment below, send us a message or join the HEI community on Instagram.
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[…] that this will help everyone be better mindful shoppers and be willing to go the extra mile for a green-er gifting solution. Until then, enjoy your holidays, stay safe and stay tuned for this coming Saturday’s blog about […]