TABLE OF CONTENTS
Think outside the gift box – the eco-friendly gift guide
The great tree debate: Real vs fake Christmas tree?
Your guide to zero waste wrapping
Deck the halls with…low-waste decor
How to reduce Holiday food waste
‘Tis the season! The eggnog lattes are on the menus, the Holiday trees have sprouted up in grocery store parking lots and pretty soon, obligatory non-stop Christmas tunes will form the soundtrack of our lives for the next month (whether we like it or not). It’s beginning to feel a lot like the Holidays – and while for many it might be the most wonderful time of the year, for the planet, it has become a wasteful nightmare.
Canada’s waste production rises by more than 25% during the Holidays. Zero Waste Canada estimates that we’ll purchase and throw out an average of 6 million rolls of tape and 2.5 billion greeting cards. Altogether, 540,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags are thrown out each year, with Holiday waste representing a big chunk of that. While some areas will recycle plain paper gift wrap, anything with glitter, velvet or foil is garbage, and gift bags, tape and ribbon can’t be recycled at all.
Simply put: the Holidays have become the most wasteful time of the year.
But it wasn’t always like this. Underneath the throw-away bows and oversized Amazon boxes, there’s a simpler, greener Holiday tradition to be had.
So instead of a mounting pile of garbage and cheap things we don’t need, let’s celebrate the Holidays with our loved ones more intentionally. Will you take the pledge for a low waste holiday this year? Explore the Low Waste Holiday guide below!
Let’s get wasteless this holiday season!
Think Outside the Gift Box: the eco-friendly gift guide
With Black Friday being the unofficial kick-off of the Holiday shopping season, our inboxes and social media feeds are stuffed like a stocking with loud, shiny ads vying for our attention – and our wallets. Discounts and deals mixed with photos of beaming faces fuse the promise of a happy, peaceful Holiday with the consumption of yet more stuff. But does all this consumption really make the Holidays better?
It’s not a stretch to say the Holidays have become the most wasteful time of the year – but haven’t they also become the most stressful? According to one UK-based study, up to 80% of the items purchased on Black Friday end up in landfills, burned in incinerators or end up in low quality recycling, often after a very short life. Meanwhile, research published in the journal of the American Heart Association found that coronary-related deaths shoot up in December and January, something researchers attribute partially to the stress and frenzy of the Holiday season. Sitting surrounded in a mess of torn packaging and empty Amazon boxes – we have to ask ourselves: is it worth it?
Before the giant corporations pull you down a rabbit hole chasing this or that perfect gift, we offer you an alternative path this Holiday season. What if we can celebrate the holidays, spread some gifts and cheer while axing the stress of shopping out of the picture?
Whether you opt for zero gifts or an in-between approach, there are plenty of ways to mark the occasion without breaking the bank or hurting the planet. Here are a few gift ideas to help you continue to bring a little joy to your loved ones, while defending the values that inspire you and us!
1) Time spent together is priceless
Sometimes the best things in life…aren’t things. Before you think about gifting an object, think outside of the (material) box and consider the experiences that might appeal to your loved ones instead:
Day trips
Movies passes
Concert tickets
Gift certificate for their favourite restaurant or coffee shop
Online or in-person classes
Babysitting hours
The promise to help with a project
Cooking a meal together
Wine-tasting
Subscriptions to magazines, news sites or audiobook platforms
In short: brainstorm what your loved ones’ interests are and look for a unique experience to offer them. Your creativity is the limit, and there are ideas for every budget! The best part about gifting experiences? They can show your desire to spend quality time together.
2) Dare to make your own gift!
Do you have a talent for knitting, sewing, macramé, painting or any other craft? It’s time to put your skills to the test and make your own gifts! There’s nothing more meaningful than devoting time and effort to making and offering a one-of-a-kind homemade gift.
How to celebrate Buy Nothing Day
What you create doesn’t have to be complicated. The goal is to give something that comes from you and is made with intention. Some ideas to surprise your loved ones:
Letters, drawings or collages
Plant cuttings
Canned goods and preserves
Cake or soup ready-to-use mixes
A piece of furniture or woodwork
Beverages with a wide range from lemonade to boozey options
Zero-waste care products like soaps, creams, shampoo or toothpastes
Cookies or sweets
Spice mixes or herbs bouquets
Pottery pieces
More DIY gift ideas to get you thinking
These gifts can even be delicious homemade consumables! One of our colleagues makes soups in jars for loved ones. Check out these recipes.
3) Normalize second-hand gifts
Maybe your loved one has been pining over something specific and you want to bring them some Holiday cheer by fulfilling this wish. Giving physical gifts is not wrong, but there are ways to find things that are more sustainable and socially responsible. And that’s in the secondhand market.
As the stigma surrounding second-hand gift giving fades and demand increases, popular second-hand platforms are responding accordingly. Online platforms like Bunz Trading Zone and the Freecycle Network make it easy to search for specific items. Buy Nothing Groups provide a digital meeting place for neighbours helping neighbours get what they need without spending any money. Online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji make the experience of finding items others have listed near you as smooth as (vegan) butter.
But it’s not limited to the Internet. Free stores and markets offer people physical spaces to swap items for free within their community (think little free libraries, but for all things!). If you want to stroll through the winter days ahead, discover your nearest flea market, thrift-shop or community store. Surprises guaranteed.
4) Don’t underestimate useful gifts
While advertisements try to sell us the magic gift every year, there’s an age-old recipe that works when you dare to try it: the useful gift!
Has your loved one been wanting to do some repairs or change a piece of furniture for a long time? Or needs help with a medical expense or childcare for a specific day? We know someone whose family and friends got together to pay off their student loans. Talk about a gift!
There are all kinds of useful gifts – not necessarily expensive – that make a lasting impression.
Without embarking on big projects, a useful gift can also be a way to share your local discoveries of the year. A handmade soap, hand-embroidered socks, a spice or your favourite book. Share what you love.
And it’s ‘that’ time of the year: a lot of craft fairs, artisan and community markets will be held across the country over the coming weeks. Some of these events are organized by organizations focused on supporting local artists and makers and promoting the well-being of our communities. By participating, you’ll also support their year-round mission. And shopping in-person not only supports your local community, it cuts back on shipping-related waste. A useful gift for everyone!
6) Make another great year possible
And if you’re already planning to be late on gift-hunting, don’t fall into the last-minute gift card trap! A good portion of them end up unused and they all generate a worrying volume of waste.
Instead, choose a cause that’s close to your heart and make a donation in honor of your loved ones. It’s a great way to help organizations of all sizes face the next year with greater peace of mind.
At Greenpeace too, this is a crucial time to prepare for the year ahead. Greenpeace is 100% independent and receives no funding from governments or corporations. It’s your donations that have enabled us to make a difference since 1971, and we don’t intend to stop there! Make a donation for another year of action and mobilization for the planet.
If any of these ideas inspire you to take action, take the low waste holiday pledge and stay tuned for our next holiday tips!
The Great Tree Debate: Real vs Fake Christmas tree?
(coming soon)
Your Guide to Zero Waste Wrapping
(coming soon)
Deck the Halls with…Low-waste Decor
(coming soon)
How to Reduce Holiday Food Waste
(coming soon)
,Read More Greenpeace Canada
