Dec 02, 2021

Gift Ideas for People Who Aren't Eco-Focused

Image of giving someone a sustainable gift of EarthSuds conditioner tablets and unscented soap

With the Holidays fast approaching I’m reminded of a familiar dilemma: What do I get my friends and family who aren’t sustainably focused? This may not seem like too big of a deal, however, I don’t want to purchase things that are harmful to the environment, but I also want to make sure what I get for them is something they will use, or else it is wasteful. I could get my friend some chewable toothpaste tablets for instance, but if they aren’t going to use them, that’s just a waste of a perfectly good product. This had me thinking: What are eco friendly products I would still use even if I wasn’t super eco focused?

*Note, as with any of these, you and I may really like them, but if your friend/family won’t use them, try to find something they will use. For example, my brother wouldn’t use a bamboo hair brush, nor does he need one, but he keeps coming to “borrow” my rechargeable batteries when he doesn’t want to go out and buy new batteries.

Products:

1. Silicone Baking Sheets/Muffin Liners

For the budding chefs and bakers, these replace the disposable alternatives many opt for, but they are so much better! All you do is pop them onto your baking sheet, then throw them in the dishwasher when you are done. Benefits:

Reusable and easily washable
Quicker than finding, measuring, cutting etc. tin foil or parchment paper
I personally find that when I bake with these, the bottoms of whatever I’m making don’t burn as easy

2. Menstrual Cups

I use a Diva Cup and really wish I found these earlier! They get me through my day for way longer than tampons ever did (“Tampons should never be worn for more than the recommended time (usually between 4 to 8 hours); the DivaCup can be work for up to 12 hours”) and it is way more comfortable than tampons. I swear I forget I’m on my period sometimes because I’m not constantly calculating how long I’ve had a tampon in. Not to mention the money you save. And the fact that you can sleep with a menstrual cup in (source: https://divacup.com/common-concerns-when-sleeping-with-a-menstrual-cup/ ).

Benefits:

Reusable and easily washable
Last longer than tampons
No more constantly buying tampons (personally found cheaper in the long run)
Can sleep with them in
Better material for your body
I personally find them much more comfortable than tampons and I find I have less intense cramps

And, When pairing my menstrual cup with my →

3. Period Underwear,

It was such a game changer for me. Again, super comfortable, and it stops me from having to worry about leaking when I have a menstrual cup or when I used to use tampons. I use ones from Knix and they are not bulky or uncomfortable at all - they feel like regular underwear (Source: https://knix.ca/pages/leakproof-period-underwear-landing-page?loc=Mobile-LeakproofSub&nav=AboutLP-Page).

Benefits:

PEACE OF MIND! Not worried about leaks when using a tampon or menstrual cup
Reusable and easily washable (laundry machine)
Can sleep with them on
Not bulky
No more money spent on liners (personally found cheaper in the long run)
No more underwear lost to period stains!

4. Pela Case

(source: https://pelacase.ca/)

I love my Pela phone case, and it’s 100% backyard compostable! I personally found that this case has protected my phone better than any other case I’ve had in the past…. and I’m pretty clumsy so that’s saying something. Benefits:

Compostable
Member of 1% for the Planet
Stylish & protects your phone

5. Ten and Co.

(source: https://www.tenandco.ca/)

I love Ten and Co compostable kitchen. Some benefits of these amazing cloths:

Reusable and easily washable
No 'dish cloth' smell
Made of cellulose (wood pulp) -cotton composition and can be thrown away with compostable waste
Can absorb up to ¾ of a cup
Can replace the use of paper towels
Adorable designs year round

6. Bamboo Hair Brush

(Source: https://www.biome.com.au/blog/top-6-reasons-use-bamboo-hair-brush/)

If your friend is in need of a hairbrush, and only if their hair brush has truly met the end of its life, why not grab them a more natural alternative? Benefits of bamboo hair brushes include:

Less static than plastic alternatives
More gentle
Does a better job at distributing your natural hair oils
More eco-friendly end of life

7. Rechargeable Batteries

I know there is some debate around the eco-friendliness of rechargeable batteries. My logic is that I don’t want to waste my products that require batteries, so why not opt for the eco friendly option?

Longer life
Easy to recharge
No more asking the question “do we have any batteries that aren’t dead?”

8. Wool Dryer Balls

(Source: https://www.thespruce.com/best-wool-dryer-balls-4781065)

Want to cut down on the time clothes spend in the dryer? Something more natural than dryer sheets? Look no further than wool dryer balls!

Benefits:

Separates clothes in the dryer to increase air flow, decreasing the time it takes to dry clothes
Reduces static
Replace disposable dryer sheets
Can add essential oils drops onto them to add a nice laundry scent

9. Silicone Lid Covers

I found mine at a farmers market, but silicone bowl covers are awesome in the kitchen! Benefits:

Reusable and easily washable
Replaces plastic wrap
Don’t need to transfer food into a container, just cover with lid
Some varieties and sizes work on cups and even fruits like pineapples

10. Reusable Mask

Instead of using disposable masks, why not grab your gift recipient a washable and reusable face mask? Be sure to look into your local health officials’ recommendations on what type of masks are best. Benefits: