Holiday Waste Reduction: Tip #3

Holiday Waste Reduction: Tip #3

Do you ever find yourself looking at potential gifts before you have someone to gift to? This maybe a sign that you’re about to buy something that is not the most useful and might even end up returned or unused.

The thing about returns...

Although it's easy to make a return nowadays, it is not as sustainable as you would think. When you have something shipped or bought in-stores, there is already a carbon footprint there. When we ship it back, it adds to the carbon footprint and in some cases gets thrown out to landfill. When we bring it back to the store, there are some products that will still get thrown out, like opened cosmetics. 

Tip #3 - Making Observations 

To avoid going through this wasteful process, our next tip is to make a few observations on your recipient to find the most useful, productive gift for them.

If we take a step back and really observe the person's day-to-day routines, likes and hobbies, we can truly find the perfect gift for your person.

Here's a few things to ask yourself about your giftee to get you brainstorming on useful gift ideas:

Are they struggling with a day-to-day activity?

You can make their life easier by buying something that they will use every day. Say they love baking but they are still using a very old mixer, perhaps a new one would be a good gift idea.

  

Is there something they always talk about wanting to do?

Say..."I wish I had more time for yoga" or "I would like to get my leather boots repaired sometime”. Here's a perfect opportunity to give the gift of an experience.

 

What can't they live without?

Think along the lines of essential kitchen ware and personal care products. If they love a certain brand, you can restock on a few of their faves. If there's something else they love to use, like say the mixer, maybe buy a new accessory for it. 

 

Our goal is to not make excessive purchases that will lead to unused products that will eventually end up in the landfills or be returned. 

Go to <Part II> <Part IV>

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.