The Christmas holiday season is a wonderful time for celebration and enjoyment. It’s a time to let the hair down, kick back, relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. Climate change won’t be going on holiday this or any other year so why not take the opportunity to do your part by choosing to give ethical gifts?

In fact every season is the perfect season for giving sustainable gifts.

It is a sad fact that gift giving can be a huge contributor to ongoing climate change if we persist in pursuing gift giving from a consumer driven point of view.

So, in the interests of helping you make informed eco friendly decisions we have put together a guide to selecting sustainable gifts Australia can rely on.

What does eco friendly mean and what is eco friendly material?

In simple terms eco friendly means something that is not harmful to the environment. So to meet the criteria of ethical gifts, products must be safe for both humans and the environment. A product must be non toxic, use sustainable organically grown ingredients and be produced in such a way as not to harm the environment in any way.

Choosing sustainable gifts is a great step to take towards answering the question that many of us are now asking and that is - how to be eco friendly?

Ethical Gifts Australia can buy now.

1. Insulated Water Bottles

WIth summer upon us, water bottles are in high demand. Stainless steel insulated water bottles can be used repeatedly, keep liquids hot or cold and are easily sterilised. There are numerous problems with plastic water bottles. A stainless steel bottle makes a much more ethical choice as both the production and recycling of stainless steel bottles is a much more eco friendly choice. Additionally stainless steel insulated water bottles don’t leach harmful chemicals into the bottle as plastic ones are liable to do. All valid reasons to put insulated water bottles on your gift list.

2.Unique Handcrafted Gifts

We are all becoming aware of our carbon footprint and how transport can impact that footprint significantly. One option to reduce this imprint is to shop for handcrafted gifts produced by local artisans.

Regardless of who you are shopping for, you are sure to find something whether it is a handmade scarf or something truly original like handcrafted furniture your local artisans and craftspeople can offer a range of gifts that are sure to delight..

3. Biodegradable Sunglasses

Cool looking sunglasses that are effective in shielding the eyes from glare and the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays are on everyone’s must have list. The only trouble is that most sunglasses are made from environmentally harmful substances.

Fortunately, now you can find sunglasses that meet the eco-friendly criteria. You can now find bioplastic sunglasses that are made from fully biodegradable materials. See out sunglasses made from

• material called Flaxetate which is made by combining completely natural flax with bioplastic.
• Biodegradable frames made from recycled materials, sustainably sourced wood or recycled aluminum
• Biodegradable bioplastic sunglasses made from cotton based acetate

4. Environmentally Friendly Beauty and Personal Care Products

The beauty and personal care niche is an area that with a little thought and investigation you can make a substantial contribution to sustainability. The environmentally conscious will certainly appreciate ethically sourced and produced sustainable cosmetics. Buy Organics Online has a wide range of eco friendly beauty products including skin care, soaps, hair care and personal care items like bamboo toothbrushes.

Even if your gift recipient is not much of a makeup lover, the personal care space still offers plenty of scope for unique ethical and environmentally sustainable gift giving

When choosing eco gifts in the personal care space be sure to seek out products that are , non-toxic, cruelty free, vegan, and are packaged with as little wastage as possible

5. Eco Friendly Sustainable Clothing

There probably isn’t a more practical gift than giving clothing. Eco friendly clothing can be given in almost all forms ranging from sneakers to tee shirts, jeans and dresses.

The best way to choose eco-friendly clothing gifts is to look for clothing manufactured from sustainable fabrics. Cotton by way of example is not regarded as sustainable as its production requires massive amounts of water and harmful pesticides.

Wise clothing choices include linen, hemp, and bamboo.

Linen clothing is made from flax, its manufacture uses far less resources than cotton and importantly, it can be composted.

Hemp is an incredibly diverse and underutilised resource that can be incorporated into a number of fabrics. It is easy to grow and requires low levels of maintenance via pesticides or fertilizer.

Bamboo clothing is harder to find but from an ecological standpoint ticks all the boxes. It grows rapidly and its cultivation requires no pesticides.

6. A Zero Waste to Go Kit

A great gift for the environmentally conscious “newbie” is a kit of items that will help them live “waste free. You can put a kit of items together that will help the recipient leave zero waste. Such a kit could contain items like

• Reusable coffee cups that are resealable and have high heat retention properties. Check out our range of reusable coffee cups at Buy Organics Online
• Sustainable straws (stainless steel are popular)
• Canvas bags
• Reusable water bottles
• An all in one eating utensil
• An eco lunchbox
• Cloth napkins

7. Books

Books make the near perfect eco friendly gift provided the recipient loves reading. If they are environmentally aware you can double down on the eco friendliness by choosing a book that deals with sustainability in an educational or practical sense.

When considering books as gifts don’t forget the eBook option. You can even purchase subscriptions to Kindle. Of course, if reading isn’t necessarily someone’s preference you can always opt for audio books.

8. Give the Ultimate Gift of Greenery

Trees are the ultimate symbol of sustainability and environmental responsibility. They are the lungs of the planet, sequestering carbon and providing oxygen to the planet. Giving the gift of a tree is like investing in the earth’s future.

Trees are not only magical, they make wonderful gifts for nature lovers, gardeners and outdoors people in general

They’re especially fantastic gifts for outdoor lovers.

If a tree is not practical, you can investigate buying gifts from a company that plants trees with every purchase. Failing that you can gift a tree from an organisation like Gift a Tree.

Some Australian companies that are worth investigating for their tree gifting include:

• Trillion Trees Australia a self funded Not for Profit organisation founded in 1979 has planted over fifteen million trees with the aim of improving biodiversity and combating soil erosion and salinity. Formerly known as Men of Trees, they aim to plant a trillion trees.
• Donate Native Trees Carbon neutral Charitable Fund. Plant trees and shrubs using local seeds to regenerate Australia’s natural landscape..
• Give a Tree Australia has a focus on regenerating the Australian bush and plants indigenous plants of all descriptions while managing the Australian bush to protect existing native flora and fauna
• Plant a tree for me works in association with global organisation One Tree Planted the organisation aims to restore the native habitats of native animals affected by the bushfires of last summer.
• Australian Koala Foundation are currently accepting donations for tree planting at their field research station situated in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Donations of over $50 qualify to be immortalized on a plaque at the station.
• The Orangutan Project - not strictly an Australian project but has broad international appeal. Their tree planting program is focused on reforesting land and expanding orangutan habitat areas. Gifts of $10 or more are eligible for an Adopt a Tree certificate.

9. Give the Gift of Giving

Much like giving away a tree, giving a gift to a charitable cause that someone is passionate about is a great way to demonstrate how much you care while making an ethical choice not to clutter up someone’s life with more stuff. There are literally thousands of charities vying for your attention and most of them will have some form of gift donation program. To find the right match between charity and recipient may take some time, and you can cut corners by visiting sites like MyCause Australia that allows the recipient to choose what charity your money goes to.

However, if you want to make the effort a good place to start would be at a place like Oxfam. All donations are tax deductible and they provide donors with a humorous card to give to your gift recipient that explains exactly what they are now supporting. Getting involved is as simple as going online and browsing their range of targeted charity gifts that will help their work across the globe.

10. Eco Responsible Phone Cover

A phone case may not seem to be one of the most ethical gifts in Australia, but choosing to give somebody a means of protecting their current phone will help them prolong the use of their current phone for as long as possible.

There are many phone cases on the market made from sustainable material. These include Flaxstic bioplastic and flax seed phone cases and slimline cases made from sustainably sourced wood. These cases are recognised for their shock absorption properties and can be purchased in a large range of colours.

Importantly, these eco friendly phone covers are completely biodegradable.

11. Digital Entertainment Subscriptions

Giving a digital subscription gift can be tremendously satisfying for a couple of reasons. Firstly, most of us are becoming more familiar with and reliant upon these services so that there is a good chance that the gift will both be appreciated and used. Also from a purely ecological standpoint, digital subscriptions aren’t using physical material that is contributing to the poisoning of our environment..

The choices are many and there is sure to be something that suits just about everybody. Digital subscriptions worth investigating include:

• Udemy - offer a range of online learning courses covering everything from software development to personal development. Giving an online course to an area of interest can be a great gift that encourages further learning.
• Audible - is audiobook service. All audiobooks are downloadable and there is no limit for subscribers.
• Headspace - offers guided meditations that start with short ten minute sessions, A subscription to this service makes a good choice for those struggling to cope with stress
• Various streaming services including Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime offer a range of quality entertainment packages.

12 Consider Gifting Experiences

An underutilized way to gift eco gifts is to consider gifting an experience rather than a material object. By their nature experiences are more likely to be more environmentally responsible than material gifts. There is also some evidence to suggest that they are often more appreciated and enjoyed. Giving an experience as a gift may help build a stronger relationship.

The possibilities are endless - a gift card for a day spa or a massage. Use a freelancing program like Airtasker to provide a day’s gardening, house cleaning or painting. Buy tickets to see a sporting event or concert. Enrol the recipient in art or cooking classes Pay for a quarterly gym membership. You can tailor the experience for the person.

In Conclusion

Committing to an environmentally sustainable future takes constant effort and at times, vigilance. By electing to make choices about which brands we support and what products we elect to buy we are doing our bit to contribute to a better world. By being creative and acting in good faith that speaks of care we are genuinely putting time and love into our gift giving. We’re confident that the people receiving gifts from you will appreciate your thoughts and care not only for them but for the world as a whole and that is going to make the act of giving that bit more special.

Purchase your eco friendly gifts from Buy Organics Online today