Sustainable Gift Guide

sustainable gifts

By Taylor Mogavero

The holiday season is here! It’s a great time of giving and being with loved ones. The main question on everyone’s mind is “what gifts am I getting for everyone??” This haunting question has us browsing the web for hours, waiting in ridiculously long lines at stores, and probably gives us a few gray hairs too. Not only is this process extremely stressful, but it often results in the excessive consumption of gifts that will only be used sparingly and eventually end up in our landfills. Save the stress this year and give a gift that is kind to the earth (and your wallet) too! 

Instead of giving someone a physical gift, try doing something fun together instead! Some fun ideas are:

  • Go out to dinner or cook them dinner

  • Go to an amusement park, fair, or museum

  • Check out a state park and go hiking, camping, or relax at the beach

  • Get out on the water and go kayaking or tubing

  • Go ice skating or stop by the roller rink

  • Go to a concert, play, ballet/dance performance or see a movie 

If you do want to buy someone a physical gift, the best gifts to give are ones that are useful, multi-purpose, or consumable (like food, soap, etc.). When presenting your gifts, give your gift in a reusable bag or wrap it with old paper bags. Some of the most sustainable, inexpensive, and one-of-a-kind gifts are bought second-hand or used! Thrift shops are always a fun time to search through and you can find some really cool items there. Some great thrift stores in Tallahassee are Lucky Duck Resale, City Walk Urban Mission, Savvy Salvage Thrift, Plato’s Closet, and Goodwill. 

Here are some ideas for thoughtful, sustainable gifts that are great for anyone!

  • Regift something you don’t use

  • Reusable water bottle

  • Travel mug/tumbler

  • House plant, succulent, herbs

  • DIY decorated mason jars/glasses

  • Ceramic mug

  • Candle (soy-based)

  • Package-free soap

  • Bamboo toothbrushes

  • Metal straw

  • Beeswax food wrap

  • Cotton produce bags

  • Reusable sandwich bags

  • Bamboo utensil set/spork

  • Used book

  • Second-hand clothes

  • Upcycle your old clothing 

  • Homemade baked goods

  • Homemade/DIY versions of any of the above!

  • Homemade baking mix in a mason jar

DIY Gift Idea:

Here’s a recipe for a thoughtful, homemade gift that is both useful and delicious: pancake/waffle mix! It’s gluten-free, vegan, and extremely versatile so it’s perfect for everyone. For a cost-free container, reuse an old sauce jar. Just clean the jar and if the label doesn’t come off easily, just soak in water, vinegar, and dish soap. To make mix: simply blend all the ingredients together until it’s very fine. Add labels with the ingredients and the cooking directions to your glass jar. That’s it!

Pancake/Waffle Mix
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
2 tbsp ground flaxseed (or chia seeds)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar

Cooking Directions:
Mix 1/2 cup mix with 1/2 cup water or almond milk. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes before cooking. Flavor it by adding 1/2 mashed banana, a tablespoon of cocoa powder, or a spoonful of peanut butter into the batter!
 

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