I’ve always gone out of my way to recycle, conserve electricity, and vote for government officials who take climate change seriously. But I didn’t understand the true gravity of environmental decline until I watched A Plastic Ocean on Netflix a few years ago. As I immediately purchased reusable water bottles for myself and every member of my family, the way I think about shopping drastically changed.
Guilt about over-indulgent holiday shopping is a growing sentiment. We all get giddy when we find the perfect gift for someone, but consumerism really puts a damper on holiday cheer, especially when you think about how much packaging will be used, how many old tech items will be tossed to make room for new devices, or how many underpaid workers are putting in extra hours to get you that extra-cheap outfit on Black Friday.
As the climate crisis becomes harder to ignore, many of us wonder what we can do to help. Though ceasing plane travel and going zero-waste would be ideal on an individual level, they just aren’t feasible for the average person. However, gifts that have a positive impact on the environment offer a tangible way to get involved — including products made from materials already in circulation or sustainable versions of items that are usually single-use.
This isn’t to dismiss the fact that big corporations and their disastrous polluting habits are the root of the problem. We can’t talk about “sustainable shopping” without acknowledging that the whole idea of carbon footprints was created and fed to us by BP, one of the world’s biggest corporate carbon contributors, to shift the blame to people throwing straws away.
But making a point to be more eco-friendly on an individual level is still a good idea. The single-use plastic that we toss after 12 seconds will either sit in a landfill and release methane for hundreds of years or join the 8 million metric tons of plastic dumped in the ocean every year that end up in our drinking water and have deadly effects on marine life.
We haven’t hit the point of no return yet. If nothing else, that pack of reusable straws could be the gift that sparks a friend’s interest in the bigger sustainability movement.
Here’s what to shop for at every price point.
Eco-friendly gifts under $25
Stocking stuffers don’t have to suck. Small items like biodegradable toothbrushes, dishwasher-safe sandwich bags, and bars of soap that skip the bottle and pump are things they’ll use every day anyway — now they can reduce their plastic waste while they’re at it.
Best eco-friendly gifts under $50
Upping the price point expands gift possibilities to things that can be tailored to a specific person’s interests and habits. Your outdoorsy friend will use the shit out a solar-powered charger, and a Bluetooth tracker made from recycled fishing nets will be a godsend for your friend who loses their phone on a weekly basis.
Eco-friendly gifts under $100
Here’s where the gifts get so nice, the person won’t even realize their gift was chosen specifically because it’s eco-friendly. Teenage girls for whom leggings are a closet staple will love a matching athleisure set from Girlfriend Collective — and you’ll love it because it kept a few old water bottles out of a landfill.
Eco-friendly gifts under $200
More and more brands are making recycled materials a crucial part of their production process without letting style or aesthetics slip. A new comforter, winter coat, or backpack were probably on their list anyway — get them an eco-friendly version.
Eco-friendly gifts that are over $200 and really nice
The best splurges are the ones that you don’t have to feel guilty about. Buying a refurbished Apple Watch (or a different refurbished device) gets them the big gift they wanted while giving you the satisfaction of rescuing a piece of future e-waste.