As Black Friday swiftly approaches and the holiday season looms ahead, many are gearing up for a season of shopping. However, amidst the excitement, it's an opportune moment to reflect on the environmental repercussions of our shopping and gift-giving decisions. Of course, our actions as individuals are not the main driver of climate change, and individuals’ behavior change alone will not curb greenhouse gas emissions enough to stop the planet from heating past 1.5ºC. However, that doesn’t mean that our choices are insignificant. Especially in wealthier nations, reducing our waste and being conscious consumers is critical. We can make a big difference collectively by adjusting our habits and buying with intention.
Below is a list of ideas to start shopping sustainably and giving greener gifts.
- Don’t shop! Consider a donation to Climable (shameless plug!) or another organization of your choosing.
- As a small nonprofit, we would be remiss to not include this. Giving Tuesday is next week — take this opportunity to support our climate resilience and educational work and make your donation in a loved one’s name! Consider giving a thoughtful donation as a gift.
- Thrift your gifts
- Finding goods and clothing at consignment or thrift stores is a great way to cut down on your carbon footprint. This isn’t limited to clothing — beautiful, high-quality artwork (or swap the artwork and use the frame), ceramics, jewelry, and furniture can all be purchased secondhand. There are online secondhand stores too, including The RealReal, thredUP, Poshmark, Patagonia’s Worn Wear, and more.
- Shop locally
- Local businesses often have Black Friday and holiday sales going just like big box stores. By staying local, you can cut down on your carbon emissions from shipping and support your local community at the same time!
- Support small businesses
- Like shopping locally, supporting small businesses in your community invests in the local economy, rather than sending profits off to distant shareholders.
- Buy from sustainable brands
- Global supply chains are often a primary source of organizations’ emissions. With a bit of research, you can find brands that work to reduce their supply chain carbon footprint and use sustainable-sourced materials! But beware of brands that greenwash, or make misleading or false claims about the sustainability of their products and/or company.
- Pro tip: If you don’t have time to research, you can still cut back on the more unsustainable products by avoiding new fast fashion purchases. Fast fashion — sold by popular clothing brands in the mall or online, such as Zara, SHEIN, Princess Polly, Zaful, ASOS, H&M, Artizia, etc. — can be terrible for so many reasons, including environmental pollution, worker exploitation, and promoting over-consumption. Instead, buy second-hand, repair clothes and accessories, and aim to buy clothing made of recycled materials, linen, hemp, or other natural materials when buying new. If you shop for women’s clothing, you can access an ever-evolving Google Doc spreadsheet featuring hundreds of brands for just $2 from Lakyn Carlton at Lakyn.Style.
- Shop intentionally
- Choose quality gifts that your loved ones actually want to ensure all items will be used. Shop early to avoid the higher-emitting express shipping (and higher costs!), and be sure to bundle your online shopping. Select multiple items from one store whenever possible.
- Better yet, shop in stores rather than online to avoid the additional emissions from shipping.
- Give creative gifts
- Gift an experience - Consumerism is at the heart of our growth-centered economy in the US. But material items can only last so long, whereas memories can last a lifetime. Why not give your loved ones an experience they’ll look back on fondly year after year?
- Give edible or consumable gifts - Sharing food with others can improve our well-being and deepen social bonds. Give the gift of food, chocolate, wine, or a fancy set of tea. Bonus points for supporting local businesses!
- Purchase a year’s membership - Do you know a coffee fanatic? Or someone who’s obsessed with their dog? Is your bestie a wine aficionado, a music lover, or a skin-care guru? There’s a subscription box for everyone! To keep it green, make sure you choose a subscription and frequency for something they’ll truly want and use. Otherwise, the recurring deliveries will simply generate more waste.
Shopping and gifting can feel wasteful but with a bit of intentionality, it doesn’t have to be. It’s easy to be tempted by low prices and fast shipping, but ask yourself: will you want this item in a year? Five years? How likely are you to return it or throw it away? All of these questions can help you become a more sustainable shopper year-round. And in the end, your wallet, your loved ones, and the planet will thank you.