During the holiday season, stores can become crowded and unbearable. Sometimes it's becomes so frustrating that you might even forget what you came in the store for. Eco-friendly shopping might involve more thought on your end, but it will save you time, money and energy if you learn how to shop more consciously. Not to mention, your friends, family and loved ones will appreciate your gifts even more when they know that you made an effort to give them something they can enjoy and actually use.
Before running out to the stores and believing that you can get ideas while you walk down the aisles, think again. Avoid stepping into any store until you have developed a list of all of the people that need a gift. Keep it on your cell phone, iPod or personal digital assistant (PDA) so you don't have to use paper. Making a list of who you have to shop for can prevent you from wasting gas and going to the store a number of times. It's also beneficial to do some preliminary research online to get an idea of what types of gifts you want to purchase for each person.
Also, collect all of the bags and wrapping paper that you have recycled since last year. You can use these to wrap the new gifts. If you don't have bags, ribbon, bows or paper, don't worry about it. Not many people really care about how the gift is wrapped so use newspaper or nothing at all. If you must wrap the gifts, use recycled wrapping paper. Make sure to collect the newspaper and recycled wrapping paper every holiday so it can be recycled. If you're in a jam and need to wrap something last minute, use recycled aluminum foil or comic section of the local newspaper.
Not all of the people you are shopping for are going to live eco-friendly lifestyles. However, for the ones who do, consider green gifts like compost bins, recycling containers, biodegradable plastic bags, organic cotton clothing and bags, etc.
For all of the rest of the people on your shopping list, think about their personality and what they enjoy doing. Gifts are meant to be thoughtful and considerate, so think of gifts that will enhance the person's life.
Pet Lovers
Taking care of pets is costly, so if you have a friend who is a pet lover, get them a gift certificate to a local pet store. Gift cards are great ideas, and there are companies like Earthworks that recycle gift cards when they are finished being used. Another option is to create a gift basket with different pet supplies like food, treats, biodegradable bags, etc.
Health Nuts
People who are health conscious will appreciate gym memberships, yoga sets made from recycled material or organic cotton exercise clothes. You can also create a gift basket for these people on your shopping list. Include oatmeal, tea, nuts, fruit spreads, etc. These indiviudals might also appreciate natural cleaning products or essential oils to help keep their home clean and aromatic.
Intellectuals
Eco-friendly gadgets like clocks that run on water instead of electricity will thrill your geeky friends. Or buy them a wireless reading device, e-book or a subscription to an online magazine.
Special People
For your significant other, pamper them by cooking Christmas dinner or treating them to a massage. Another option is to surprise them with an fun adventure like a ski trip or horse ride, but don't be quick to make travel plans far away since you can vacation in your own home too.
It's always difficult to express your feelings in a card that already expresses them better than you. Skip the card and take the opportunity to show your love when you give your gift. Your friend, family member or loved one will remember the caring words coming from your mouth if you take the time to sit next to them and say what you feel.
Eco-friendly Christmas shopping will save you time and money in the long run, because you will put more thought into the process. In addition, you can help reduce your consumption of gasoline and decrease the amount of waste you create during the holiday. So take the going green Christmas challenge!