Each year the holidays become a little bit less about accumulating unnecessary stuff and a little bit more about contributing something meaningful to the world. If you have a consumerism-averse conservationist in your family or friend circle, they can be especially hard to shop for. But there are solutions.
These are some of the year’s best gifts for environmentalists who want to make a difference.
The composting worm farm finally gets the minimalist treatment to blend in with the clean lines of your home. This countertop composter is a place to collect compostable kitchen scraps and transform them into gardening gold. The best part? Smart design makes it clean and odorless. The worms (not included) eat half their weight in kitchen scraps every day. The kit comes with a fancy thermometer-like tool that measures the pH, moisture and light levels. In addition to supporting your plant life, this kitchen composter reduces unnecessary landfill waste. If you’re looking for a budget alternative, skip the worm casting process and go for this simple, cute countertop scrap collector.
A simple, elegant accent piece by Wildlife Collections will add a bit of conservation-chic to any wardrobe. Jewelry sales help support organizations like Save the Elephants and the Sea Turtle Conservancy. In the two years since Wildlife Collections was founded, they’ve already contributed tens of thousands of dollars to wildlife conservation. But they go one step further. Each piece of turtle or elephant jewelry comes with access to an exclusive tracking portal, where you can track your ‘adopted’ turtle or elephant and see whereabouts they’re roaming around, free and happy as can be! That’s enough to bring smiles to an animal lover’s face throughout the entire year.
Yoga mats are typically made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Needless to say, that’s not especially sustainable. But a mat needs to be grippy, squishy and durable, so what’s a yogi to do? Enter Yoloha (a portmanteau of ‘yoga’ and ‘aloha’). This company started making eco-friendly surf gear, and then realized one day that cork is the perfect material for sustainably sourced yoga mats! Why is it so sustainable? The cork is made of bark from a special mediterranean tree. When harvested, it just grows back! They don’t even cut the trees down. Think about that while you do your tree pose. Namaste, cork trees!
For the tech minded conservationist, this solar powered phone charger harnesses the mighty power of the sun to keep your mobile device all juiced up even when you’re trekking on remote mountaintops. It has three USB ports built in, so it can charge multiple units at once. It folds up to fit in your backpack, and weighs just over a pound. It’s compatible with most newer iPhones, as well as iPads (not the iPad Pro, though), Samsung’s Galaxy S8, LG models and more. This is the highest rated solar charger according to solar experts, with reviews consistently claiming that it works efficiently even under cloudy conditions. Now you can stay connected even when you’re off the grid.
This eco-friendly spin on a perennial classic is made from recycled milk jugs and is BPA and phthalate free. It’s packaged in recycled materials and soy based inks. Will the kids care? Probably not! Until they’re older, that is. And then they’ll gain a new level of appreciation for the thoughtfulness of your gift. In the meantime, they’ll have a cute and classic fire truck to help them develop their motor skills and imaginative play. Green Toys also makes a dump truck and a garbage truck.
Hopefully this makes holiday shopping a little lighter, on you and on the earth alike. These are the kinds of gifts that show how much you care, and say that you also care about the planet. May all giving be joyful and sustainable this year.