Best Eco Stuff

The holiday shopping season is a time when many people seem to conveniently forget about silly things like protecting the planet from a throwaway culture consumed by the need for the latest must-have widget, and it’s all too easy to fall into that old familiar ritual of gathering up a shopping cart full of plastic Made-in-China stuff at that big box retailer.

But even as you guiltily shop for that video game console your teenager has been talking about all year, there are a few easy things you can to do counteract it. Set out to make your holiday shopping more deliberate this year – think about each purchase, each box, each roll of wrapping paper. It really does make a difference. Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

When brainstorming gift ideas, consider what your friends and family like to do – and how you could help make it greener. For example, let’s say your mom enjoys scrapbooking. Why not get a variety of nice recycled paper and handmade ephemera like that from Etsy seller Kits and Kaboodles? Your neighbor the gardener might like a variety of organic seeds and bulbs and your teenage cousin would probably love a gift basket full of natural and organic spa goodies. With ideas like these, you can give eco-friendly gifts without coming off judgmental.

Revel in the great feeling you get when you buy fair trade, organic, healthy items. It’s so nice to know that your purchase is helping to support a community, that it’s made from eco-friendly materials and that the company that produces it is environmentally responsible. Just remember to ask yourself a few questions while shopping: Where was it made? How was it made? Who made it and under what conditions? What materials were used? How is it packaged?

Check the thrift store for baskets, tins, boxes and other items you can transform into reusable alternatives to throwaway gift wrap. If you still want paper, check out the stunning modern designs at Whimsy and Erin Ruth, and make every scrap count. A fun way to do this is to use recycled kraft paper as a base and then decorate the gift with strips or shapes cut from the more expensive patterned paper.

Skip the chaos and shop online instead. Why run around to 10 different stores looking for the perfect gifts, wasting all that gas, when you could shop from the comfort of your home – in your PJ’s, no less?! It’s a no-brainer. Lots of stores are offering discounts and even free shipping to entice buyers right now, and the variety online can’t be beat.