You know the holiday season will be upon us in the blink of an eye. Some stores already have their full Christmas regalia in place.  I’m still deciding on a Halloween costume, but if you’re one who likes to get a leg up on gift giving, here are a few Earth friendly gift giving ideas that put the planet first. 

First of all, try to avoid items that are laden in plastic wrapping and pieces. Plastic wrapping is unnecessary and needlessly clogs up landfills.   

Secondly, consider alternatives to traditional wrapping paper, ribbons and bows. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy receiving a nicely wrapped gift, but less says more when it comes to protecting the planet. Make sure the wrapping paper you use is recyclable. When you recycle paper from gifts you’ve received, be sure to remove the tape, ribbons and bows, which are not recyclable.

Here are some gift-giving ideas for your consideration:

• Cloth bags. With the single use plastic ban set to take place March 1 2020, sturdy cloth bags make a highly functional gift just about anyone who grocery store would appreciate. 
• Eco-friendly water bottles. There are a lot of nice alternatives available on the market in a wide variety of price points.  
• Metal or glass straws. Plastic straws are the pariah of single use plastics. If you’ve got a smoothie drinker on your gift list, a set of metal or glass straws will be a hit gift.
• Handmade gifts. Food, crafts, beverages, any gift from the heart and hands are especially appreciated. Upcycled gifts. Products made from 100% recycled and reclaimed materials are abundant and make great gifts. I’ve seen wine glasses made from recycled car window glass, candle holders crafted from wine barrel staves, jewelry from recycled metals, and on and on.   
  

Naturally, the Internet is loaded with eco-friendly gift ideas.  Do your research there, but when it comes to buying, I encourage you to support local merchants. Shopping local is great for our region’s economy and means less packaging materials will wind up in our landfill.