According to researchers at Stanford University, Americans will generate an additional 7 million pounds of waste between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. What can you do about it? We are here to encourage you to rethink your approach to gift giving. We’re not asking anyone to go zero waste or start carrying their trash around in a jar. This holiday season, stop and smell the evergreen and go low waste at your own pace. As a bonus, you won’t have to worry as much about unpredictable shipping times!
Start small. Focus on one area where you’d like to cut your waste. That could be entertaining, gift wrapping, or gifts for a particular person or group of people.
Know your audience. As you check your list, think about which of your recipients might be open to lower waste gifts, or ways you could incorporate lower waste elements. That six year old who just has to have the newest toy of the moment probably won’t be happy with a handmade alternative, but they may not care how it’s wrapped. On the other hand, a friend who collects Derby glasses will probably welcome a vintage find!
Shop secondhand. “Re-gifting” gets a bad rap, but giving a unique used item - in good condition, of course - shows that you care about the recipient’s interests and the planet. Browse thrift stores for things like used books and records, vintage holiday decorations, and kitchenware. Shopping secondhand can be especially good for hard-to-find or collectable items, plus it eliminates the issue of packaging waste.
Do it yourself. You don’t need to be a Pinterest pro to pull off a handmade gift. Baked goods, artwork or ornaments are all relatively easy items to make for a variety of ages and abilities.
Gift wrap can be a gift! Wrapping paper, gift bags and tissue paper are not recyclable. Consider reusable or functional gift wrap like decorative storage boxes, grocery totes, jars, scarves, etc. Throughout the year, save tissue, bubble wrap, and packing paper to reuse in gift wrap. Packing paper makes an excellent wrapping paper--one you can decorate with drawings and ribbons--or a sprig of pine needles for a rustic look.
Buying local matters. There are many reasons to shop local. Buying from your neighborhood store means your products travel fewer miles to you! You also double your impact because local businesses often get their supply from other small businesses.
Give experiences, not things. Remember the homemade coupon books popular with children? Give someone on your list the gift of an experience: tickets to a play or sporting event, a gift certificate for their favorite coffee shop or a digital course related to their interests. Experiences can be more personal than something from a big box store, and they don’t end up in the landfill!
Eat, drink and be merry. Another alternative way to approach gifting is to give consumable items, like fancy spices, a box of candy or bath salts.
Stay on the nice list by recycling right this holiday season. Find out how to properly dispose of holiday waste.
Lexington resources:
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Map of resale places in Lexington
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Local businesses in downtownLexington
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