By Christianne Wittbrodt
With Christmas closing in, many of us have found ourselves floundering to find the perfect gifts for our friends, family, and loved ones. So much plastic and waste is accumulated during the holidays, so it’s important to steer clear and give gifts that are both thoughtful and kind to our planet. Make Christmas even brighter with some of these eco-friendly stocking stuffers!
Winter brings cold, dry weather that can take a serious toll on our skin. It can be tough to find a lotion that will provide relief from uncomfortable dryness without involving synthetic ingredients. Moon Valley Organics offers a lotion bar that uses 100% sustainably farmed organic herbs and comes in recyclable packaging. The company’s farm is a pollinator sanctuary, so each purchase helps protect pollinators! This lotion bar will feel good on your skin and support positive farming practices.
Bodyceuticals is another skincare brand dedicated to providing green products that provide soothing nourishment to their users skin. They have products for men, women, and children that are gentle and eco-friendly. One of their most popular products is facial cleanser that is non-GMO, wheat, soy, and gluten free. This vegan cleanser is perfect for anyone who loves to indulge in self-care. Bodyceuticals uses a closed-farming system that not only uses their onsite animals for manure, but also uses well irrigation to ensure that they are only using pure water.
In a single day here in the US, 500 million plastic straws end up being used and discarded. Multiply that by 365, and you end up with a massive number of straws that end up in the landfill. For anyone who likes to go out for a meal, reusable straws are a godsend. Stainless steel straws are easy to store in a purse for a dinner out or convenient to pop into a reusable tumbler. They come in different lengths to accommodate different sized cups, mugs, etc. Also included are cleaning brushes to ensure the longevity of each straw and a cloth carrying pouch to keep them from getting misplaced.
Hiware 12 pack Stainless Steel Straws
Candles are always a great gift option for anyone who likes to make their space as cozy and inviting as possible. Some candles have ingredients that are harmful to your health and have adverse environmental impacts. These unscented rapeseed pillar candles are 100% vegan and biodegradable. Rapeseed candles contain no toxins, carcinogens, or pollutants, making them one of the cleanest burning candles you can enjoy! These candles are a perfect cozy holiday gift.
Classic Rapeseed Pillar Candles
Along with the rapeseed candles, any candle lover would greatly enjoy an electric lighter that can be recharged with a USB cord. Traditional lighters are short lived and use fuel to ignite candles, barbecues, and more. A rechargeable lighter eliminates the need for fuel and lasts much longer. Plus, gone are the issues of trying to protect a flame from the wind! Having an electric lighter cuts down on waste and pollutants that would otherwise end up in our environment. I’ve been using electric lighters for years and have purchased one for my sister who identifies herself as a “candle aficionado”!
Notebooks are such a useful present. Whether it’s for note taking, brainstorming, or keeping reminders, notebooks are incredibly handy to have. Regular notebooks have paper that takes up tons of energy to make. The process of creating paper uses harmful chemicals and wastes a lot of water. Not to mention, the production of paper contributes to the rapidly worsening deforestation problem going on in our world. A Good Company makes a notebook with paper made from stone using solar instead of water and chemicals. A huge draw for this particular notebook is that it’s tear and water-resistant, which is a huge plus if you accidentally spill anything. This durable notebook is a perfect gift for anyone!
I go through chapsticks like it’s my job. As someone who is prone to severely chapped lips, I’m always on the hunt for a lip balm that provides me with much needed moisture without using ingredients that are not eco-friendly. The Earthling Co. lip balm is the perfect choice. Made without petroleum, plastic, palm oil, preservatives, or parabens, this balm effectively prevents chapping and cracking. The packaging is made from 100% post-consumer recycled paperboard, and the ink is soy-based. You can protect your lips and the planet at the same time by using a lip balm like this!
Almost everybody with a cell phone also has a cell phone case. Unfortunately, the majority of these cases are made with polluting plastic that ends up in the landfill after they are no longer useful. Pela makes phone cases that protect your phone and are compostable! Pela is proud to show that the company’s practices have resulted in 30% less carbon emissions, 34% less water usage, and 80% less waste production. Not only do they have a wide variety of fashionable phone cases, but they also sell watch straps, sunglasses, and Airpods cases!
Some of the best surprises are found in our stockings! Unexpected little presents can have so much impact on an individual and on the environment. From lotions and potions to sturdy cell phone cases, you can be sure that the gifts you give are supporting earth-sustaining initiatives!