Choosing the perfect gifts for friends and families is hard and can be even more challenging if you’re looking for gifts for environmentalists. How do you give environmentally friendly gifts to people who are already concerned about the material impacts of gift giving?
This year, feel good about the gifts you are giving loved ones by making them eco-friendly and sustainable. Backyard farming and homesteading is all about living close to the earth and making environmentally friendly choices in your yard and home. Giving green gifts is one piece of this puzzle.
We’ve gathered our best ideas of gifts for environmentalists.
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Special Considerations when Selecting Gifts for Environmentalists
There are several ways you can give the gift of sustainability for your next celebration or holiday. Of course a traditional gift is often easiest and expected, but consider thinking outside the box for a truly unique gift. Here is a quick list of ways you can choose eco-friendly gifts this year (scroll down to see some specific ideas for green gifts for environmentalists).
- Give someone a gift that allows them to be more sustainable
- Give practical gifts that people need, but make them eco-friendly
- Choose products that are recycled or reused
- Donate money to an organization that is working towards environmentally friendly solutions around the world
- Give the gift of an experience
- Make your own gifts
Gifts that Promote Sustainability
Some of the best and easiest gifts for environmentalists are items that make it easier to be environmentally friendly. Choose eco-friendly gifts that reduce single use plastics, energy use or promote growing your own food.
Reusable Sandwich Bags (Nordic By Nature)
These sandwich bags help reduce single use plastics by packing food or other items in a reusable and washable sandwich bag. These cute bags also come in a variety of colors.
Compost Bin for the Kitchen (Vremi)
Collect food scraps in the kitchen with this bin. We keep ours right next to our kitchen sink, or store it under the sink out of site.
Small Portable Solar Charger (Nektek)
With a standard USB port, this makes it easy to charge your phone or other small device at your home or on the go. The best gifts for environmentalists make it easy to be more environmentally friendly.
Maine Garden Hod (Maine Garden Products)
Collect fruit and vegetables from your garden and then rinse them quickly in the same easy to use basket. This beautiful basket is the perfect environmentally friendly gift for the gardener in your life.
These mesh bags are the perfect, packable reusable grocery bags. Use them to collect your produce, but we’ve found them strong enough to also hold other items are well.
Eco-Friendly Gifts that People Need
This category of gifts, is giving people things they need for everyday life, but choosing to purchase and eco-friendly version. A great example of this is bedding – everyone need sheet, but why not make them sustainable? The environmentally conscious person in your life will appreciate getting something beautiful, eco-friendly and practical all in one unique gift.
Choose to give Bamboo sheets as an eco-friendly option and give a comfortable and practical ‘green’ gift.
Coconut Bowl and Spoon Set (Lim Nature)
These coconut products are biodegradable and eco-friendly and made without chemicals making them a fun choice.
9 Organic Seed Packs for Vegetables
These heirloom and organic seeds are the perfect gift for the eco-conscious gardener. Perfect for the new gardener or the experienced backyard farmer.
Shampoo and Conditioner Bar Variety Pack
Help reduce all the plastic waste that come with shampoo and conditioner with these bars. These environmentally friendly bars can help reduce plastic and are highly concentrated and the perfect gifts for environmentalists.
Give the gift of beeswax wrap and help replace single use plastic wrap. We love using this wrap to cover dishes in the fridge and it’s easy to wash and reuse.
Gifts that are Recycled or Reused
Reduce and reuse this gift giving season with environmentalists gifts for friends and family. Recycling is one of the many ways we can help reduce waste that ends up in the landfill. There has been a tremendous movement in the past decade to repurpose and rework unwanted items into brand new items that help support a variety of environmental causes. Select these gifts to show your support for these projects.
Handmade Beaded Bracelet from Recycled Plastic (4 Ocean)
This is one of the best gifts for ocean environmentalist. Each bracelet remove 1 pound of plastic from the ocean. Wear this bracelet to show support for this project.
If you’re going to effort to purchase and gift eco-friendly gifts this year, make sure to wrap them in recycled wrapping paper.
These biodegradable seed starter trays are great for gardeners who are interested in seed starting.
Recycled Glass Tree of Life Pendant
This statement piece is a great way to show your support for recycled materials. These products are made of recycled glass from artisans around the world.
Recycled Wool Socks (Carhartt)
Made from recycled wool, these socks are great at wicking moisture away and are tough enough for a full day out on the farm.
Make a Donation to an Environmentally Friendly Organization
Sometimes the best gifts are donations that go towards supporting environmentally and sustainable initiatives around the world. Some of these are geared towards gift giving (like doing an animal ‘adoption’ where the money supports a cause) while other are more traditional donations. It’s always best to do some research and make sure that most of your donation is actually going towards the cause you want to support. To give the gift of a donation, write a card explaining more about the organization and what they do that can be given to your friend or family member.
The list below shows both traditional and well known organizations and some that are geared more towards gift giving.
- Mission: to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends
- Top Programs: Climate and energy, oceans, and ecosystems
- Percent of expenses spent on programs: 79 +
- Mission: a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive
- Top Programs: Climate change, fire, forests, invasive species, and marine and fresh ecosystems
- Percent of expenses spent on programs: 71 +
Natural Resources Defense Council
- Mission: to safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.
- Top Programs: Climate, land, wildlife, water, oceans, energy, food, sustainable communities
- Percent of expenses spent on programs: 83 +
- Mission: promotes efforts to educate and empower people to protect and improve the natural and human environment.
- Top Programs: Beyond Coal, Chapter and Group Education Project, Our Wild America
- Percent of expenses spent on programs: 88 +
- Mission: to protect animals from cruel treatment
- Top Programs: ending factory farms where animals are inhumanely slaughtered, protect animal rights, research, ending steel jaw traps and preserving species that are close to extinction.
- Percent of expenses spent on programs: 91 +
Gifts of Experiences
Often the best gifts for environmentalists aren’t things you can hold in your hands. Consider the gift of an experience or time together. There are endless options and opportunities depending on what you like. You can either do the experience together or give the gift for the person to use on their own. Below is a list of ideas for gift experiences for the environmentalist on your list:
- Travel experience
- Online or in person course
- Dinner out
- Concert or play
- National Park pass
- Visit to a museum or park
- Spa pass
- Gardening or dog show
- Tickets to a sporting event
Homemade Gifts
Homemade gifts aren’t just from the heart, they are often more environmentally friendly and ethical. Use items from around your home and garden, or purchase the supplies to make your own gifts this year. The possibilities are endless depending on your skills and you can always look online to learn something new. Below is a list of some ideas for homemade gifts ideas:
- knit something
- sew something
- Make your own candles
- Divide or propagate plants
- Soap or body scrub
- Paint dishes or glasses
- Embroidery
- DIY Cleaning Supplies
- Make a cutting board
- Make jewelry
- Create a photo book
- Create homemade soup mix in a jar
- Preserved or homemade food
Whether you’re purchasing, making or donating this year, the list above has plenty of ideas for amazing gifts for environmentalists. Did we miss any? Share in the comments or let me know what you give to the eco-friendly people in your life.
