Buying gifts for someone who is trying to reduce their carbon footprint can be tough. After all, they’re looking to reduce waste and gifts can be wasteful. That’s why we’ve compiled OhmConnect’s top choices for eco-friendly gifts. Each of these items will replace others for a long time or negate the need to use disposable items in an ongoing way. Now that’s environmentally friendly!
Whether your loved one is just dipping their toes into the world of an eco-friendly life or they’ve been at it for years, we have a gift idea for you!
Hands down, our favorite brand. They’re really cute and you can find a pattern for anyone, and they last forever. Keep one in your purse or car for shopping while you’re out and about. They also come with tiny bags of their own, so they’re self contained before use as well.
I also use them when traveling as a way to keep different clothing articles separated in my suitcase and easy to find, then it becomes a laundry bag which separates dirty clothes while traveling home.
Food waste is a huge problem and the environmentalist in your life knows it. They may already have some sort of composting going, but you can make it much easier (and cleaner) for them with one of these items:
This electric kitchen composter is stylish, compact, and fast! You’ll never throw away vegetable peels again with this gadget.
Food transportation is a big part of why food production is such an emission-heavy industry. By growing food in your own home, you're helping reduce the amount of emissions! Also, we all know how much more delicious freshly harvested produce is. Lettuce Grow is our favorite brand and this little grower is a great starter version.
Toilet paper is not a normal product everywhere in the world and it can be a big cost and use of paper. That’s why we highly recommend a simple bidet!
This is a brand we love, it’s affordable and the different styles and models make it an easy choice for whatever sort of toilet you have! Installation takes about 10 minutes and most people end up feeling cleaner when using a bidet over toilet paper.
If someone on your list takes recycling very seriously and has mentioned their local options aren’t as good as they would like, check out Ridwell! If they live in one of the service zones, they can just collect hard to recycle items into Ridwell bags and Ridwell will handle it for you.
Single-use products, especially plastic, is one of our biggest problems. Here are our favorite alternatives. Buy them once and use them for a long time! (More on our plastic problem and clever solutions here.)
If you’ve ever been traveling and felt guilty for using that plastic straw and then just tossing it, this is for you. Buying the bamboo variety makes this a lightweight, easy option. They’re also anti-microbial and dishwasher safe.
If you’re still using single use plastic bags to store food, you’re a little behind. The silicone variety is affordable, reusable, BPA-free, and dishwasher safe! Your loved one will love to ease of bag storage without the waste.
Have you ever wondered what the big deal about straws is? They’re tiny, so maybe you’ve wondered if it’s really a high impact item. The fact that they’re tiny is a big part of why they’re such a problem. They can sometimes be too small for recycling plants to effectively process and they often end up where they shouldn’t be, like the ocean (if you haven’t seen that poor turtle with a plastic straw in her nose, you’re lucky).
The fix is so easy though! Keep a reusable straw on you so you don’t need a plastic one when in public. This will also prevent you from needing to use a paper straw, which, let’s face it, is a bit of textural nightmare for many of us. This kit comes with brush cleaners, different sizes, and they’re also dishwasher safe.
Say goodbye to single use plastic in the kitchen. Wherever you would have use plastic cling wrap or even tin foil, this Beeswax wrap can replace it. It’s food safe, natural, easy to wash and super cute. They also last a shockingly long time!
Editor’s note: If you make a purchase through our affiliate partner links, we may receive a commission. This does not impact the recommendations we make.
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