‘Tis the season of joy and merriment, friends and family, and most importantly, holiday flavored lattes from Starbucks. Jokes aside, there is an exponential spike in consumption this time of the year that usually goes unacknowledged. A large portion of waste comes from product packaging, and gift wrapping is but a partner in crime. Gift-giving is a warm gesture often prodigal in execution. I challenge you to do something about it.
Below are tips and tricks for gifting that the environment will also be thankful for:
1. Get crafty. Think old magazines, books, paper bags, and newspapers for wrapping paper. Even comic strips make for fun and entertaining packaging.
2. Use recycled paper. If you can’t find any pre-existing supplies, there a quite a few product lines out there that sell festive wrapping paper from recycled materials.
3. Make a fabric gift bag. They’re reusable and can be designed in infinite ways to disguise almost any gift.
4. Look through your office supplies. You might have what you need already in your vicinity- labels, envelopes, etc.
5. Forget the tape, make your own glue. I don’t have first hand experience, but I hear that it’s as simple as mixing a little flour, sugar, and water!
6. Add natural finishing touches. Earth’s natural resources are right outside your door. Seize the day and those pine needles. They’ll make your gift smell great too!
With these tips, your gift-giving will make the Earth smile too. Safe travels and happy holidays from team Enplug!
-Gabby
Sustainability HQ is a weekly series with stories, tips and tricks for how to make your business and office space more sustainable. Email me at hello@enplug.com with any thoughts, stories, or ideas!