Sustainable Gift Wrapping

Sustainable Gift Wrapping

Christmas is one of the most wasteful time of year.  From wrapping paper to ribbons, an immense amount of waste is created each year during the holidays.  In the US alone, an average of 25 million tons of garbage is thrown away from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, which is an extra 25% more trash than any other time of year.  Thankfully there are many beautiful and eco-friendly alternatives for wrapping up your Christmas gifts this year.

“Zero Waste Canada, a Vancouver-based advocacy group, estimates each Canadian tosses about 50 kilograms of garbage over the holidays, 25 per cent more than the rest of the year, thanks to the purchase of 3,000 tonnes of foil, 2.6 billion Christmas cards and six millions rolls of tape.   Altogether, 540,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags are thrown out each year.”  https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/12/28/canadians-will-throw-out-540000-tonnes-of-wrapping-paper-and-gift-bags-this-christmas-season.html

 

Furoshiki

Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, and additionally a style of gift wrapping.  It can be used to wrap gifts of any size and shape. A variety of techniques and designs are used to make every gift unique.  The wrap itself can be incorporated into the gift, such as a baby blanket for a baby gift, or a tea towel for a kitchen gift. Check out these tips and techniques: https://blog.spoonflower.com/2019/11/6-ways-to-wrap-a-gift-with-furoshiki/   

See the video below for instructions.

 

Newspaper

A recyclable, on-hand gift wrap could be newspaper.  Use the comic section of the newspaper to give your gift some character and colour, or use the traditional black and white print for a clean, simple appearance.  It is great for wrapping gifts last minute while travelling or to give a second life to the newspaper in the recycle bin! Other on-hand wrapping options could include magazines or old books.

 

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Maps

One of my favourite ways to wrap gifts is to use maps.  We tend to grab maps when travelling, so we usually have a variety on hand.  Maps are great for wrapping gifts for those who like to travel.  You can find maps in old magazines, second-hand stores, or in National Geographic books.

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Paper Grocery Bags

Another great way to wrap gifts is by using paper grocery bags.  Whether the paper bag is crinkled or folded, it will give your gift a little texture.  If there are any markings or logos on the bags, you can turn them inside out, or cover them with decorations. This gives those paper bags a second life!

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Dish Towels

Make the wrapping part of the present by using a dish towel or similar for your gift wrapping.  Dish towels, pillowcases, a scarf, even a sheet for a large gift can be used instead of paper.

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Reuse

Whenever you are given a gift and it is wrapped in wrapping paper, a gift bag, or tissue, carefully unwrap it and fold it up to be reused.  Encourage your friends to do the same, as it will save money and the planet; and what’s better than those two things? A majority of wrapping paper and bags are not recyclable due to the foil and/or microplastic that are embedded in the paper.  Using these to their fullest will eliminate large amounts of waste from the landfill each year.

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Ties and Embellishments

Try to keep your tape to a minimum by using a natural string or twine to wrap up your gifts.  If tape is used, be sure to remove it from the paper before recycling.  Decorate your wrapped gifts with branches from trees, pinecones or dried oranges for a lovely natural touch.  Using sprigs of herbs or cinnamon sticks can bring an aroma to your gifts, and a holiday feeling!

Christmas Present Adornments

 

How will you be wrapping your gifts this year?

 

Sustainable Gift Ideas for the Holidays – Part 1

Sustainable Gift Ideas for the Holidays – Part 1

The biggest way to be more sustainable during this highly wasteful holiday is to buy less stuff this year.  Make a commitment to buy fewer gifts overall this holiday season.   With the added financial pressure that many people are facing this year, this is a great consideration for the planet and our bank accounts.

  • buy less per person
  • do a name draw within your friend or family group so that you don’t have to buy for everyone
  • Presence not Presents
    • agree to no gifts, just spend time together (people may be relieved by not having as many gift obligations).  Ok, I realize this may be challenging; spending time together or travelling to be together may be restricted at this time.  However, get creative – zoom or phone calls can help us be “together” when we need to be apart.  Another idea is to have Christmas in January instead.

Here are some gift ideas to help you be kinder to the planet this holiday season.

Intangibles

In our family, have an overall theme to guide us with presents each year and in 2019 we chose Intangibles.  All of our gifts had to be things that you can’t hold.  This forced us to be creative in new ways.

Here are some of the intangibles we came up within our family:

  • ring tones/alarms (My son is a musician so he recorded original ring tones and alarms for all of us)
  • distillery and beer tour (We were headed to Canmore that January so it was a timely gift – they called it the Canmore Minivan Booze Cruise)
  • concert tickets (of course, these ended up being cancelled with the pandemic, but it’s the thought that counts!)
  • gift card for the floatplane – to get to Vancouver for the concerts
  • glass blowing experience

 

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custom ringtones by www.quinwithonen.com

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Donations

Choose a charity that is important to your loved one.  Make a donation in their name.  (We have done this for birthdays in the past – One time it was the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre where you can adopt an animal.  They send you updates on that animal for the next year!)

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Second-hand

It would be great if we could normalize giving used items for gifts.  Manufacturing, packing and shipping new items continually puts a lot of strain on our planet.  Lots of great things already exist.  Call it vintage and it makes it cooler somehow!

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Local

I love that there has been a growing movement over the years to support local businesses.  It’s becoming an even larger focus this year during the pandemic when so many small businesses are struggling.  Supporting local keeps money in your community and it also helps reduce shipping products around our globe.  Small, local businesses need your support more than Amazon, Walmart, Costco, etc. so spend your money thoughtfully this season. (This is our family theme for gifts this year – Local Businesses only!  I’ll update this after the holidays with what we came up with.)

Shop local where you live

 

Time

Instead of more stuff, gift them with time.  Offer up some babysitting, chauffeuring, dog-walking or fix something that needs repair.   Be creative.  Time is more valuable than things!  The older you get the more you realize that.

Photo from Unsplash jon-tyson-FlHdnPO6dlw-unsplash

 


 

Want to make the holidays even more sustainable?  Here are some Christmas tree alternatives.

 

Sustainable Christmas Tree: Alternatives

Sustainable Christmas Tree: Alternatives

If you’re wanting to switch things up this year, try these Christmas tree alternatives.  They are all eco-friendly, gorgeous and can easily replace a real or artificial tree. 

I have covered the pros and cons of real and artificial trees in my last blog post and if those aren’t what you’re looking for this Christmas, check these out. 

 

Potted Christmas Tree:

A potted Christmas tree gives you the feeling of a real Christmas tree, without having to chop down a tree. These trees can only withstand being inside for a few days but can be replanted outdoors in the springtime.   (photo courtesy of Café Mom)

Potted Christmas Tree

Houseplants:

Alternatively, choosing a plant that will live as a houseplant will work just as well. Who says a Christmas tree can’t be a palm tree?  You could even decorate a tree outdoors with eco-friendly decorations. (photo courtesy of Reddit)

Decorated Houseplants

Driftwood Tree:

This is a great DIY for those who live near the beach. Being flat, and wall-hung, this tree is great for people with less space in their homes.  Make this tree with friends or family and you will have a unique and handmade memory for years! (photo courtesy of Tiny Partments)

Driftwood Christmas Tree

Rosemary:

A potted rosemary tree makes a great counter/tabletop tree. Decorate with some lights and ornaments and you have a mini Christmas tree.  Its fragrant needles can make the house smell amazing, and can also be used for holiday cooking/baking. (photo courtesy of The Greener Girl)

Rosemary Christmas Tree

Vase of Branches:

Collect some branches and place them in a vase for an easy, tabletop Christmas tree. Find branches with lots of little branches and hooks, so hanging lights and ornaments is easier.  Using as little or as many branches as you’d like makes this a completely customizable piece! It can even be used as a centrepiece. (photo courtesy of Lonny)

Vase of Decorative Branches

Hanging Branch:

Finding a large branch with lots of needles, hang it on the wall, and decorate with lights and ornaments.  This option is great for space-saving and will give you the feeling of a real Christmas tree with the aroma and look of the branch.  (Photo courtesy of Pinterest)

Decorated Holiday Branch

 

Sustainable Christmas Trees: Real or Artificial?

Sustainable Christmas Trees: Real or Artificial?

(Photo courtesy of CBC)

​With Christmas just around the corner, many households are getting ready to decorate a tree. Whether this is an artificial tree, real tree, or some sort of alternative; there are pros and cons to each regarding sustainability.  Unfortunately, neither an artificial tree nor a natural tree are a great option for the environment, but let’s take a look at pros and cons of both, and also get into some great alternatives.

Artificial trees are commonly made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and can take hundreds of years to break down in the landfill.  Research has shown that the average artificial tree comes with a carbon footprint of around 40kg of greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the emissions come from the manufacturing of the tree itself, and some comes from the industrial emissions during the manufacturing. Additionally, the carbon footprint will go up during the transportation of the tree, as many trees are shipped from China.

Real trees are roughly half of the carbon footprint of an artificial tree.  Real Christmas trees are a mono-crop system, usually grown with many herbicides and pesticides, such as glyphosate.  It is unclear if these chemical residues remain on the tree by Christmas, but their effects on the environment are tremendous.  The chemicals can have run-off into waterways, have a negative impact on insects and animals, and much more.

Artificial Tree

Pros Cons
No maintenance Made from PVC chemicals, which gives it a large carbon footprint.
One-time purchase, can last years and save you money No scent.
Easy clean up, just pack up into the box. Requires somewhere to store each year
If used for many years (6-20 years), can equate to a real tree’s environmental impact Takes hundreds of years to break down.  Nearly impossible to recycle.

Real Tree

Pros Cons
Fresh scent Only lasts one season, so it could cost more than an artificial tree over the years
Takes in carbon dioxide from the air, and releases oxygen. Requires more care and maintenance (watering)
No synthetic material, all-natural materials. The combination of the needles drying out, and the heat from the lights on the tree, could be a fire hazard.
A great family tradition, when cutting down a tree. Potential chemical residue on tree from growing practices
Can support local businesses and farmers in the community Clean up is more difficult.  Many garbage collectors don’t pick up trees, so it may require a trip to the dump or wood chipper.

 

If deciding to get a real Christmas tree, try to find a local, organically grown tree.  Be sure there is no wildlife living in the tree, and try to get rid of any bugs before loading it onto the vehicle.  Be sure to dispose of the tree in the most sustainable way.  Some sustainable options are turning the tree into wood chips, donate the tree to a wildlife sanctuary, or donate to a river or stream program.  Try to avoid taking the tree to the landfill, or burning the tree.

If deciding to get an artificial Christmas tree, try to find a used one if possible.  If used is not an option, buy a tree that was made in your country to ensure it has a lower carbon footprint from less transportation.  Be sure to keep the artificial tree for many years (10-20 years) to ensure it will offset its environmental impact.  If getting rid of the tree, consider selling it, donating it, or giving it away to someone who may need or want it.

There isn’t really a definitive answer as to whether a real tree or an artificial one is better as there are many factors that come into play.  There is always a worst option and a best option when making a decision.  When deciding on a Christmas tree this year, take into consideration the points above, and choose what makes sense for your home and the environment.  Alternatively, you could choose to ditch the traditional Christmas trees and opt for these fun, eco-friendly alternatives.  (https://zilchboutique.com/sustainable-christmas-tree-alternatives/ideas coming soon)

Will you be using a real or artificial tree this year or will you be trying an alternative? Let us know in the comments below!

6 Tips for a Low-Waste Halloween

6 Tips for a Low-Waste Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought I would shed some light on the amount of unnecessary waste this holiday can create, but making it a sustainable holiday can be easy. So just to throw a couple facts out there, an average of 15 million pumpkins are carved during the season – none of which are eaten. Additionally, around 12,500 tonnes of Halloween costumes get sent to landfill each year. This isn’t even including the amount of waste is created from the candy that is consumed.  Refusing, reducing and composting are things to consider when getting ready for the big day.  Here are 6 tips for a sustainable Halloween:
  1. Decorations– When finding decorations, look for things that can be used year after year, rather than single use, non-recyclable decorations. Make your own decorations with things around the house, or art supplies. Decorate with LED lights to minimize the energy usage.
  1. Costumes– Make your costumes from items you already have, or make a trip to your local thrift store to find some cool second hand costume pieces. Try to purchase items that you could wear again so you’re reusing.  Or repurpose items or fabric into costumes.  We created a voodoo doll costume from burlap coffee bean bags that we picked up for free at a coffee roastery.
  1. Pumpkins/Jack-O-Lanterns– Get the most out of your pumpkins by turning them into delicious treats after the holiday. Use the flesh to make baked goods or soups.  Remove the seeds and roast them for a snack, or turn them into bird feed.  Don’t forget to compost any pumpkin scraps you may have during this process.
  1. Going Trick or Treating– Bring a pillow case or reusable bag to put your treats in.Limit the houses you plan to stop at, to limit the amount of waste you will receive.  When you have a choice, choose the candies in cardboard boxes, such as raisins, Milk Duds, or Nerds. If possible, trick or treat close to home to limit the use of gasoline.
  1. Handing out Treats– Homemade goods are the easiest way to limit your waste when handing out treats. If baking isn’t your forte, opt for snacks that are packaged in cardboard or compostable packaging.  Another idea is to give out handmade trinkets, such as woven bracelets, soaps, or rocks/crystals.
  1. Be a Role Model– Educate your kids to ensure they make sustainable choices when celebrating Halloween. Suggest more sustainable options to your friends or neighbours who may have not have considered it.
These tips were put together in collaboration with Kelli Etheridge of Halloween Party Planner.