One of the best lines from Paul Kelly's song “How to Make Gravy” is: “Have a Merry Christmas, I'm really going to miss it, all the treasures and junk.”
While stacks of slinkies, scented candles and beach cricket sets may seem like a rite of passage that's bad for the environment, research from the Australia Institute suggests we give each other too much of the former when it comes to Christmas presents. Almost a third of Australians expect to receive Christmas presents that they won't use or wear. Gifts worth $921 million then end up in landfills.
To help you celebrate the festive season in a fun but sustainable way this year, we've put together some expert advice: a green gift-giving guide.
How to reduce your environmental impact this Christmas
The most important thing you can do this Christmas to reduce your environmental impact is to buy fewer things and forego gifts by having an open conversation with the people in your life about what they really want.
“Share your budgets, your needs and your wants with your loved ones,” says Lottie Dalziel, author of 365+ Ways to Save the Planet and Your Money at the Same Time. “If you don’t want something, tell them early.”
If this seems cheerless to you, there are digital Secret Santa platforms like Elfster that can help you. They agree on a spending limit and everyone has to create an account and write a list of gifts they want. You can even provide links to the exact product. The platform will then email you the name of the person you are buying for and their selection. My family has been doing this for a few years. We don't do it for the kids, but for the adults it's a safe way to ensure everyone gets something they can use and enjoy, and eliminates the various bath bombs, notepads and hand creams – i.e. the rubbish.
Dematerialize giving
Dr. Kate Luckins, author of Live More with Less, says you can avoid increasing a person's environmental footprint by taking “unwanted things” out of the equation and offering intangible options like services, experiences, donations, digital magazine subscriptions, zoo or museum memberships, and edible gifts. “I often invite a friend to dinner, a massage or a movie. My husband will probably get concert tickets or special chocolates to devour,” she says. For delicious, locally made chocolate try Loco Love or Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie.
Vouchers make giving the gift of an experience easy. Many saunas and spas offer vouchers, as do restaurants and even some bakeries (including Lune and AP Bakery). Most publications offer gift subscriptions (including The Guardian). You can also purchase gift certificates for services like sneaker cleaning or handbag restoration.
What is a sustainable gift?
If you need a physical gift for Kris Kringle at the office or a relative you haven't seen in a while, look for gifts that are both practical and environmentally friendly.
“A sustainable gift is one that will actually be used and loved for years to come,” says Dr. Anita Vandyke, author of A Zero Waste Life and A Zero Waste Family. “Choose items made from natural materials [such as wood, rattan, cotton or wool] or recycled materials, support local manufacturers to reduce transportation emissions and look for small businesses that prioritize ethical production.”
While certifications often aren't perfect, “they show that a brand is making measurable efforts toward ethics, sustainability and transparency,” Vandyke says. The key is to familiarize yourself with standards that require review by a credible authority, such as: B. Fair Trade, Global Organic Textile Standard, Forest Stewardship Council, Global Recycled Standard and Australian Certified Organic Standard.
Since less than 10% of all plastics are recycled, try to avoid products made from them unless they effectively remove plastic from the waste stream and recycle it locally. Banish makes a range of refillable pens and garden tools from recycled bottle caps and Transmutation makes a range of homeware from recycled bread tags.
Buy local
Buying locally produced products has several advantages. With shipping responsible for 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, “Australian-made, artisanal products mean fewer air miles to get them to you,” says Dalziel.
Australian manufacturers must adhere to strict employment standards and environmental regulations in the workplace, which often include responsible waste management and production processes with lower emissions compared to offshore production.
Another advantage is the additional transparency. “The ability to chat with the person who gave the gift is a shortcut to reliable information,” Luckins says. “Browse a manufacturer’s market before entering the department store.”
If you don't have time for markets, try dip bowls or coffee cups from Mud Australia or blankets from Waverley Mills, Chotto Motto crispy chilli oil or Noosa Basics lip balm.
When in doubt, reach for vintage homewares
While it can be stressful to gift someone a used product if you're unsure of its connection to the circular economy, it's the easiest way to “save resources and find unique, personalized gifts that stand out from the monotony of the mass market,” says Luckins.
One way to avoid the stigma of used goods is to look for things that were of better quality and nicer in the past. Think a vintage chess set, 1980s Italian glassware, or mid-century stainless steel salad servers. Etsy and eBay are good options, while the Salvation Army and Sacred Heart now have online home goods departments to browse.
Beware of greenwashing
Because we're inundated with marketing messages all day, it can be difficult to distinguish truly green products from those that have been greenwashed. Two of the most common tactics are vague language that overstates the impact and diversionary tactics that aim to divert your attention from what is actually happening in a company's supply chain.
“Words like environmentally friendly, green or natural [are often] used without proof. If a company can't back up its claims with data, certifications or a sustainability report, it's likely greenwashing,” says Vandyke. “Another red flag is when sustainability is treated like a side campaign and not integrated into the company's DNA.” True sustainability is evident in everything they do, not just a “green” product line.”