How your holiday gift giving may be harming the environment — and what you can do to change that
With holidays — and the whole climate crisis deadline — around the corner, let’s talk about the harm that holiday shopping wreaks on the environment, and some much more sustainable alternative gifting practices you can try instead. From production to shopping to shipping and gifting, there are many environmentally conscious decisions you can make this holiday season and practice for years to come.
- Support small, local businesses.
Shop locally if possible. You can reduce pollution from commuting by visiting local shops on foot, a bike, or public transportation. Even a short drive makes a difference, as transportation makes up 27% of all greenhouse gas emissions. You save time, money, and energy on commuting and limit your carbon footprint.
Not only that but small businesses’ products are often handmade or produced locally. Shopping locally reduces reliance on manufacturers that must ship their products for thousands of miles to get to your community, meaning less fuel waste and less pollution.
If you can’t support a small business in person, consider ordering from those that create their products using locally sourced goods rather than major retailers. Mass-produced items often generate water, air, and soil pollution as well as wildlife destruction.
