Let’s talk sustainable gifting!

December 01, 2023| Environment

By: Caitlin Doran

The holiday season is here – a time to gather with family and friends and, for many of us, a time to express love and fellowship through gift giving.

Unfortunately, though, according to a Stanford University report, household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. And that waste, which includes food, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, etc., contributes to an additional one million tons of trash entering landfills each week during that time frame.

We can do better!

Below are a few relatively easy ways to make the holidays less wasteful. And remember, like Anne-Marie Bonneau, the  Zero Waste Chef says, “We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

1. Give the gift of experiences (vs things). Many times, well-intentioned gifts miss the mark, and many ultimately end up in the landfill. The process of returning gifts is also not so environmentally friendly. Did you know the shipping process for returns emits around 16 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, and e-commerce returns produce 14% more waste than in-store ones, according to research conducted in 2020 by the Environmental Capital Group? About 5.8 billion pounds of returned inventory ends up in landfills every year, according to the report. Instead of buying things, why not stock up on gift certificates good for tours, treatments, classes, or a meal out with loved ones?
2. Instead of buying new, consider giving pre-loved, vintage, or antique items. It can be fun to agree on this form of giving ahead of time, and challenge each of your friends/family to thrift a gift that would be significant to the other. Similarly, gifting consumables – goods we “use up” like favorite foods, soaps, etc. – is a much more sustainable approach than buying more “stuff.”
3. Get creative with upcycled and/or more sustainable wrapping paper. About 8,000 tons of wrapping paper, the equivalent of about 50,000 trees, are used to wrap gifts each year, according to the Clean Air Partnership, A better option? Use recycled newsprint or colorful magazine pages to wrap your gifts. Try natural flourishes, like an arrangement of greenery, and yarn or twine instead of those stick-bows.
4. Support a local, sustainable business. For the friend or family member who appreciates fresh produce, consider gifting a share in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Those of us living near Lake Hopatcong are especially blessed to be in close proximity to several farms and farm stands that offer subscriptions! You can also search for small, local businesses that are sustainable, like a refill store or one of the many listed by Sustainable Jersey as a certified sustainable business.
5. Give a gift to charity, instead. Have you heard of a “giving jar?” The Foundation recently received a gift from a donor who made a donation in honor of her brother, whose name she pulled from a giving jar. Each member of her family wrote their names on a piece of paper and placed it in a jar. The family then took turns drawing names and made a donation to that person’s charity of choice! Making a donation to a cause that your loved one cares about is a generous, impactful, and waste-free way to show you care!
6. Prevent food waste as much as possible. Americans waste between 30% and 40% of the food supply each year – a staggering amount that increases by 25% during the holidays, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To help prevent food waste, be sure to 1) plan ahead 2) encourage takeaway containers for guests 3) incorporate as much local and vegetable-based food as you can, which has the smallest footprint and can ideally be composted if not eaten!

Thanks for reading and have a happy, sustainable, holiday season! Have other tips or practices that you and your family are already incorporating? We’d love to hear about them at info@lakehopatcongfoundation.org!