What Are the Best Eco-Friendly Gifts? Let Us Help You Out!
It is safe to say that 2020 has been a monumental year, and not necessarily in a positive light. But the holidays are coming soon and you may be asking “What are the best eco-friendly gifts for my environmentally aware family and friends?” While an electric car may be out of your gifting price range, here are a few gifts that any environmentally friendly person would be happy to receive this holiday season!
#1: REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES: If we told you 20 years ago that the majority of the people you know would be walking around with a reusable water bottle, you would probably have looked at us like we had three heads. But the fact is that a large percentage of the population, especially those who are health conscious, carry water bottles with them daily. The average person should be drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day, meaning if they bought 16 ounce plastic water bottles, they would be tossing four plastic water bottles a day! By switching to a reusable water bottle, one person could, in essence, spare the earth of 1,460 water bottles a year. Check out the American-made Liberty Bottles collection. A percentage of the proceeds from this company goes to the Amazon Aid Foundation.
Images from www.libertybottles.com
#2: REUSABLE K-CUPS: The invention of the Keurig revolutionized the world of the morning caffeine kick as we know it! But think of how many millions of those little plastic cups are tossed in the trash every day; the number is too high to fathom! What if there was a way to reduce the number of K-Cups in our landfills and waterways? Cue the re-usable K-Cup! These can be filled with ground coffee, washed, and reused every day.
Image from www.keurig.com
#3: REUSABLE BAGS: Several states have outlawed single use plastic bags, specifically those used commonly in grocery stores and take-out restaurants. New York and Maine enacted their laws in 2020, to name just two. Most grocery stores are now selling inexpensive reusable bags, however you get what you pay for. Loading them up with more than a gallon of milk may cause the handles to rip, causing your groceries to go crashing to the floor. Gift a reusable bag to your sustainable living friends and you can even skip the wrapping paper by using the bag as the carrier for your other environmentally friendly holiday gifts! Bags from Baggu hold up to 50 pounds and can be used for groceries or day-to-day transport of all your needed items!
Image from www.baggu.com
#4: HOME SELTZER/SODA STREAM MAKER: Does your environmentally conscious friend love their soda or seltzer, but hate the fact that they come in a single use plastic bottle that is damaging to Earth’s waterways? Gift them an at-home seltzer or soda stream maker! Now they can make their very own fizzy beverages without harming the ocean. Put these carbonated drinks in a reusable water bottle and drink it through a reusable straw; eco-savy mind blown! Sodastream has an entire line of sparkling water makers and accessories.
Image from www.sodastream.com
#5: REUSABLE STRAWS: States and cities around the country are outlawing single use plastic straws. Some may say, “Who cares? Straws suck!” But if your Secret Santa recipient doesn’t know how they will get by without sipping their favorite beverages, gift them some reusable straws. But when they ask, “How can I carry my reusable straws with me?” surprise them with a SWZLE Pack! These packs come with two straws and a handy cleaning brush. Your sustainable living family member already has three dozen reusable straws? No fear, at SWZLE you can even buy just the fancy carrying case without any straws!
Image from www.swzle.com
Don’t let the craziness of COVID or 2020 get you down with your holiday shopping! While the world still battles this pandemic and you try to keep your family safe and healthy, why not do the environment a solid by gifting your family and friends one of the best eco-friendly holiday gifts to close out this year? Around the world, people have had to adapt their daily routines and way of life as health professionals and political leaders determine the best way to combat this pandemic. Why not use this year as an avenue for changing your life to a more sustainable one?