Giving kids gifts is so much fun- they have huge reactions and you get to feel like you really nailed it! We as adults can totally share in the child's excitement, so it is tempting to give a whole mountain of gifts! That said, the number of toys the average child has is way too high, and it causes problems. 

Just another toy and another and another leads to too many toys. 

Too many toys-

- Actually slows down their play. Studies show kids can only process so many objects, so when they have too much, they actually play less. 

-Sets up consumerist expectations. It is so easy to let family culture slide into the expectation that holidays mean getting stuff, big events mean getting stuff, etc. 

- Adds stress to their home. We know that clutter and chaos in the home correlates with stress. Even if the kids aren't feeling that, their caretakers are. 

- Destroys the planet they will be inheriting from you. This may seem overdramatic, but we know there is a proven link between overconsumerism and climte change. Toys tend to be wrapped in polluting plastic, to be used a short time before becoming trash themselves, and are often made unethically to keep those very low prices. So if your kid has 100 toys, multiply that effect by 100. If every American kid has 100 toys, multiply it by millions. These are all problems our kids will have to solve to survive; please do not add to their troubles. 

So what does environmentally responsible gifting look like? It can be so many things! 

Want some basic guidelines for gifting the kids you love? We've got them! 

1. Buy Less- Kids toys, epecially that little plastic nonsense is CHEAP. It can be really easy to get carried away and buy a bunch of things. Buy one. Even better, buy an experience. Have confidence that your choice of gift is GREAT, and you don't have to give each kid an exactly monetarily equal gift either. 

2. Buy Used - My oldest child was recently surprised to learn that all of his birthday presents over the year, minus one, have been secondhand. Kids don't know, and they definitely don't mind. Let go of any hang ups you have about secondhand stuff- it's great for the planet, so you are protecting that kid for buying it. 

3. Buy Local - Wherever you are, shop there. Start keeping an eye on where things are manufactured - do you really think children's toys should travel further than you? All that shipping has a huge footprint, the packaging pollutes, and the people making those toys are not treated fairly. Finding things that are manufactured near you matters. Finding local toy shop matters. Want to learn more about our favorite made in America toys? Check out this post. 

This post may have a few links to Amazon, where I am an affiliate, but the best thing you can do for the environment and your community is to buy secondhand or local. If you need ideas of where to shop instead, check out this post. 

Ok, time to get to presents! Let's do this. 

1. Time With You

It may feel very strange to not go buy a pile of toys from the store, but you cannot do better for the kid or the environment than an experience with you. Kids get tired of gifts pretty fast, but they will always remember that trip to the museum or the baseball game. They will remember their weekly lunch picnics with you. Let go of the idea that what they need is more stuff- they really just want time with you! I have never felt that more than this year; our house is overflowing with stuff, and what they really want is connection. 

Think about the best times you have spent with that child. What were you doing? What about their favorite things to talk about? Kids are so full-hearted with passions- how could you make an amazing memory out of that interest? 

Need ideas for experience gifts they will love? Check out this list of 99 Experience Gift Ideas. 

Worried that an experience gift won't have the same big excited reaction? Check out this post for lots of fun and memorable ideas for how to "wrap" that gift. You could be giving the gift they will remember forever. 

2. Memberships, Lessons, or Camps- Help them learn!

If you don't live nearby or don't feel comfortable taking the kid out, you can give them (and their parents) a great gift with an opportunity to learn. These types of things can add up for parents, so helping the kids get into other spaces for learning is a huge gift for everyone. 

 A membership to the zoo, a children's museum, piano lessons, a baseball camp- the opportunities are almost endless! If you don't see much near where they live (or their grown-ups can't take them a lot of places), you could also sign up for a subscription box. These are trickier, and some are better for the planet than others. We have loved doing RadDish boxes- the kids really like learning about cooking, and I think it gives them a better appreciation for food. 

So if the kid you love is an animal lover, try a zoo membership or tickets! If they love music, sign them up for a class! Do they love videogames? Try some cool streaming subscription! It doesn't have to be a physical thing for it to be the best gift ever. 

3. The Characters They Love... But from eBay

My son is absolutely obsessed with Octonauts right now. When his birthday came up, he wanted a gup! Not only are these toys expensive, but they are also incredibly wasteful, made of fresh plastic, wrapped in throwaway plastic- just not the kind of thing I want to buy. 

Lucky for me, eBay has new pre-owned Octonauts stuff go up on their website everyday. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right thing, but I usually can get my kids the gift they will go crazy for without having to buy anything new. I also write the seller and ask they don't use plastic to package the stuff unless it's secondhand. 

It's not a perfect solution, but if you have a paw patrol or frozen or ninjago crazy kid, you still don't have to rush to Amazon. You can find the same things on eBay, but secondhand, and save things from going in the landfill. 

eBay not working? You can also try Thred Up- type in the characters your kid loves and see if you can find them some cute clothes! There are so many ways to gift them what they are excited about without buying something new. 

You can also try Facebook Marketplace, your local Thrift shops, and Buy Nothing. There are so many secondhand toys out there, it makes NO SENSE to buy new! 

4. Art Supplies

Kids are wells of creativity, so art supplies can be a great place to start. If they are younger, I highly recommend looking around Facebook Marketplace or your Buy Nothing Group- there is always an easel, which is very important developmental step and chalk is lower waste than other mediums. 

Other art supplies I love?

Oil Pastels- they look amazing on cardboard, so they are great for creative reuse. Plus, all you need is cardboard boxes.

Play dough- You can make your own! It's pretty simple and fun to do. Green Toys makes fun play dough supplies. 

Recycled Paper- You can find lots of great recycled cardstock or large rolls of recycled paper for art projects. I think paper is a great gift, because we fire right through it. 

Crayons - Honeysticks or recycled crayons like eco-stars are both great options. 

There are creative reuse stores all over the country, and you can often find art supplies at secondhand stores. One of the best options is secondhand beads, which you can find almost everywhere, and they are so good for their fine motor skills. 

Not sure what to do? I have another post about low waste art-making with kids with tons of ideas.

5. Books

I want to be a minimalist parent, but books. I love books. You cannot go wrong with books, as kids learn so much from reading. You can find tons of good research about the books out there. We have a list of our favorite books to read before kindergarten AND a list about our favorite books about the planet and climate. 

The nice thing is that you can probably get a good sense from their parents about what they are interested in. 

When in doubt, get books. When trying to help the environment, get them used. Even Amazon offers most children's books secondhand (in small print just under the regular price), but you can also try Goodwill Books or Thriftbooks. 

6. A Backpack, Special Shelf, or Toy Chest

My kids tend to love spaces that are theirs, and I am so excited when we get gifts that help us stay organized. Organizational things that are just theirs can be a hugely popular gift, that honestly people don't even think of. 

For a backpack, we have a post with Etsy stores that make adorable backpacks. Another option is to check eBay. I see there are so many on there from pretty high end brands. Some of them have a monogram on it (why do people do this?) but you could easily cover them with a fun patch. 

For a shelf or toy chest, you could try making one yourself! There are also tons of shelves out there in secondhand shops. Even if it isn't exactly right, maybe a little paint could totally transform it! Etsy also has so many adorable options from book shelf tree  to toy chests you can decorate yourself. 

Other options? Their own special chairs or corners. If you don't live with them, check with their grown ups to see what might be helpful for them! It seems too practical to be fun, but kids really do appreciate their own space. 

7. Green Toys

We have loved Green Toys for years (our oldest's first bath toy was their tug boat) and they just keep getting better. Green Toys make their vehicles, play dough toys, and other plastic toys in the US with recycled plastic jugs. The toys come wrapped in recycled cardboard too, so you avoid any fresh plastic when you buy from this awesome company. Now they have collaborations with Mr Potato Head, Sesame Street, and even Disney. 

Check out their website to see all of the great toys they have. I especially recommend their clay toys- we have been using them for a long time, and they work perfectly. 

8. Adopt an Endangered Species 

If you have an animal lover on your hand, check out the World Wildlife Fund offers these extremely cool species adoptions. You can donate for a specific species (and they have ton of great ones from musk ox to the harpy eagle), and the fund will send you a stuffy that matches and information about the species. 

This is such a cool idea, not only because it is so unique, but also because it is a great way to establish with a kid that they have a responsibility to the world they live in. That species is THEIR species, so you can send them more information about them and keep them up to date on how their species is doing. If you are ready to be involved, it can set them up for an early empowering and positive experience with environmental stewardship. 

Now, that doesn't make this perfect- I can't find any information on how the stuffies themselves were made (and there is some definite irony in supporting animals by getting a kid another synthetic stuffy. That said, you could also donate to World Wildlife Fund, The National Wildlife Federation, or World Animal Foundation and make a gift pack for the kid yourself, looking for secondhand or fair trade/American made stuffies that fit your criteria.

It really depends on what your priorities are, but I think this is the kind of gift that really leaves an impact. I was talking to my six year old about this list, and he was so excited about this idea (this, and hot wheels. He feels strongly hot wheels are a very important gift). He wanted to look through all the animals and think about which one he wants to help. If you think your kid would want to choose themselves, you can also get a gift card, or make your gift the special date to pick an animal. It's all good stuff here. 

9. Open Ended Toys

The most successful toys for kids are ones with lots of possibilities. Of all the toys in our house, the ones that get the most use are Magna Tiles. These are not eco-friendly toys (though if you are lucky and work ahead, you can find them used on eBay or Facebook Marketplace), but if we were only going to have one toy in our house, these would be it. 

Some people have similar experiences with other kinds of blocks and wooden toys, so if you are set on buying toys, I would start there. Etsy has a large collection of wooden blocks. Uncle Goose is my favorite brand of made in America blocks. Researching wooden toys is it's own passtime, but if you are interested in Grimm's or other brands, be sure to check eBay and other secondhand spaces before you buy new! 

The moral here? We are tempted to get things that are branded or charactered, because we now they will get that immediate wow factor. It's true, but it's not necessarily lasting. If you want to get them the toy that never runs out of possibilities, keep it as simple and open-ended as possible. 

10. Outdoors Toys

We protect what we love. If we want to raise a generation of kids who care about the environment, the most important thing we can do now is help them fall in love with nature. Working toward this goal could take a lot of different forms- 

- Give the gift of a hike once a month. 

- Make them a Mud Kitchen! All you need is an old coffee table (or palettes, or scrap wood), and lots of beat up pots and kitchen tools. If you have never heard of this and want inspiration, this post is a good place to start. 

-Nature Journals. A regular sketch book can become a special place to document discoveries and ideas. We love Field Notes and Decomposition books. 

-Gardening Tools. A shovel and a bucket can go a long, long way. If you want, you can ask your local bakery for one of their frosting buckets for free. 

Alright, we made it! Want more ideas? Check out our Green Stocking Stuffer List and our page with all of our gift guides (we have tons!). Ok, what is your favorite kids' gifts to give?

 

It's time to branch out from Amazon. I know in 2020, I have leaned on Amazon more, but for the holidays, my goal is to put all of our money towards other businesses. 

Maybe you want to join me. Even if you can't imagine stopping completely, you can still mix it up!

We know that Jeff Bezos the owner and Amazon the company both pay a shockingly low amount of taxes, while simultaneously squeezing out so many small and local businesses (including shipping companies and the post office as well). Much like the Waltons, Bezos's pile of money because huger and huger, but both owners treat their workers pretty poorly. Not only this, but items from Amazon or infamous for not being packaged in sustainable ways. All in all, lots of room to improve. 

It's been an endlessly rough season for small businesses, so it makes sense that you would want to help them out this year, instead of helping Jeff Bezos or the Waltons become even more excessively rich. 

Like I am said, I am guilty of this too- this blog regularly features Amazon links (and encouragement to use their secondhand options), because I have just been afraid that sending you to a bunch of different websites will make it more complicated, and therefore more difficult to have early successes that help you start to change. I am excited to share this link from now on, so you know exactly where else you can find the things we recommend. 

As always, no one person can do everything, but everyone can do something. The goal doesn't have to be perfection, but shifting even half of your shopping this year could make a major difference. 

Not everything here will be as cheap, but that could very well be a sign that the people working there are treated significantly better. Not everything will come as fast, but that is better for the environment. Not every site will be filled with eco/ethical stuff, but they are usually not owned by mega billionaires, adding to the destructive gap between the richest and the poorest. 

This is all to say, there is no other site that will fit perfectly, but like so many things, don't let not being perfect keep you from doing some good. I don't have a perfect answer for everything, but I have some good options. ALWAYS REMEMBER - If you find something you like on Amazon, you can look it up- lots of brands and companies have their own websites, so you can buy it directly from them as well. 

So let's get started. 

Start Local! 

Keep your money where you live, building up your community, providing jobs, and more. Every dollar to Walmart or Amazon will never see your area again. Even small communities often have other options available, we just have to commit to using them. 

1. Your local shops- Before you look anywhere else, take stock of what is available where you are. Every dollar you spend at a locally owned business stays in your community. Every dollar you spend at huge brands like Walmart and Amazon will never come back. So do your research, ask around to friends, and strategically spend your money to support your community. 

2. Your Local Thrift Shops- Buying secondhand locally is the best way to minimize your impact. It uses less fossil fuels, makes less waste, and supports a local business. It's the best choice there is for the environment. 

3. Facebook Marketplace, Buy Nothing, and Other Local Groups - You can find so much secondhand just by using social media groups for buying and selling. It cuts down on waste, shipping, and it saves you money. 

4. Subscribe to a Local CSA - After you find shops in your area, you can also look to see if there are local CSA's to support local farmers. We know that Walmart has been strategically pushing out local dairy farms especially, so you can do a lot of good for your local farmers by buying from them first. 

5. Local Museum Bookstores - Everyone has been hurting this year. A great way to help the institutions you care about (but cannot go to) this year is to shop from their stores. Many museums and centers have gift shops online. It might be a great place to buy gifts from! Another gift option that helps your local businesses? Gift cards and certificates- especially for those restaurants you love! 

Secondhand Shopping

If you find something you like on Amazon, my best advice is to just go find it somewhere else. Many companies have their own websites now, so you can buy directly from them. Another great option? Look the item up on a secondhand site. 

6. eBay- Sometimes local shops are short on options, but you can find almost anything on eBay. Just be sure to mark you only want to see pre-owned things. 

7. Thred Up - You never have to waste money on clothes and shoes again. Huge collections of things to buy for feminine clothes and children's clothes.

8. Poshmark - Another resource for secondhand clothes. This one is especially great if you have something specific in mind, and they also do masculine clothes, so that is helpful. 

9. Gadget Salvation - This is a site that buys and sells secondhand electronics. If you know what you want, don't mind if it isn't the newest thing, or just need to save money, this is a great resource.  

10. Offer Up - This website and app is a lot like Facebook Marketplace, without all the Zuckerburg nonsense. You can post or shop pretty locally, and get what you need for a lot less. 

Small Businesses

If you are trying to avoid Amazon, chances are you are aware that small businesses are hurting. Here are some online spaces to support small businesses and fair trade practices. Be sure to check with the shops near you first! 

11. Etsy - This website has thousands of independent artists and makers with small shops. There are great vintage style shops, personalized gift shops, and zero waste homegoods shops. I love this website so much, and I have found wonderful gifts there. When I shop for gifts, I start here and eBay. For a list of our favorite Etsy shops, check here. 

12. Uncommon Goods - This is a super fun site to browse, with tons of gift, perishables, body stuff, and decor that will be huge hits.

13. The Little Market- This amazing non-profit shop is dedicated to making women through the world economically self-sufficient. Many of their products also support particular causes like the environment, disability rights, domestic violence, and more. 

14. Adorned Abode - This sweet home goods and gift store is owned by a Black woman, and it features fair-trade and small business-made items. 

15. Ten Thousand Villages - This store is committed to taking care of the environment and making sure all the makers who create their goods make a fair, living wage. Their overall mission is to help develop communities through craft, and they have so many fun and special things in their store. 

Eco Stores

16. Marley's Monsters - This store offers zero waste options for kitchen and bathroom, for beauty, and for snack storage.  I love them. We have napkins, snack packs, unsponges, and bowl covers, and we love them all. 

17. Plaine Products - I have used this made in America and zero waste shampoo and conditioner for years now, and I love it. Perfect if bar shampoo isn't working for you, but they also have soaps and face care. 

18. Tiny Yellow Bungalow - This zero waste store and blog is one of my favorites. Perfect for the basics you need and tons of great insight about how to live a lower impact life. 

19. The Refill Revolution - This Colorado-based zero waste store has lots of great household items, but my favorite part is they will send you refill pouches for your soaps, shampoos, and cleaning supplies. 

20. Earth Hero - This is another excellent stop if you are looking for zero waste options for the things you already use wear out. You may be surprised all the things you can find zero waste options for- every soap, cleaner, bag, and bottle imaginable. 

21. Conserv-A-Store - This store is mostly for eco-friendly gardening and outdoor care. 

22. Package Free Shop - This is one of the most mainstream zero-waste shops, owned by one of the most popular zero-waste bloggers. They do have a subscribe and save section, which may help you replace some of those Amazon subscriptions. 

23. EcoRoots - This plastic-free shop gives 1% of everything they make to the Ocean Conservancy. I love their bath and beauty section, but there is a lot to browse here (and they even have holiday gift guides).

24. Eco-Friendly Mama - This site has a buying club together where you can get eco-friendly and made in America options. There is also a facebook group, which I love to follow, because I learn a lot. 

Things for Kids

We have tons of lists about what to buy kids and where, but my biggest advice is to start with eBay, ThredUp, and your local consignment shops. Most everything your kids need or want can be found secondhand. You will save money, help the environment, and you can still find most of what they want. 

24. City Threads- Kids cotton basics manufactured in Los Angeles. Their clothes are a favorite in our house, and their masks are apparently the favorite of the New York Times. 

25. Green Toys - You can buy all of these excellent toys right on their website, you don't need Amazon to do it. 

26. Fat Brain Toys - This online toy shop has a huge collection (some more eco-friendly than most), but it can be a good place to browse.

27. Babylist - A great resource for tons of baby things. This has the same one stop shop appeal as a big store, and you can find most of what you want in one place (pssst.... look secondhand first. Buying new baby stuff for someone to poop and puke on is absolute foolishness). 

28. Winter Water Factory - This Brooklyn-based kids clothing company makes great basics with really fun and beautiful print. We have a few things from them that have successfully lasted through three boys.

29. Wonderbly - Personalized books for kids that are so special and fun. Perfect if you are looking for a really special gift. 

30. Carousel Designs - Bedding for kids and babies, all manufactured in the USA. 

31. HearthSong - Another online toy store, with so many brilliant toys I have never seen anywhere else. There are so many good ideas on here, though I can't find much information about where and how they are made. 

Books

I love books. I just wrote a huge list of our favorite children's books. The truth is, you don't need to buy hardly any of them new. You can find almost any book secondhand or from a smaller bookseller. 

32. Goodwill Books - Looking for a particular book, movie, or game? Try here first! The selection is huge- I am always surprised at what I can find.

33. Powell's Books - Portland's giant store is the biggest independent bookshop in the US, and their online space is AWESOME, offering both new and used books. I also love their book recommendations.

34. Thriftbooks - Another great shop for secondhand books. Really makes you question why you have been wasting all that money on new, right?

35. Bookshop - This online bookstore sends a percentage of the earnings to local bookstores and tells their buyers which local bookstores are near them. They are basically trying to replace Amazon and redirect people to smaller bookstores near them. Kind of a cool option if you don't know what is local to you. 

36. Brave and Kind Books - This children's book shop offer a variety of books or you can buy curated boxes from them, which I think is such a cool option. I read about them on this list of independent Black booksellers on Red Tricycle. Check it out to find out who you can support in your state. 

Clothing

We often get the message that all clothes are made in other countries, but there are tons of smaller companies making their clothes here in the US or using fair trade practices. Here is a huge list of brands and shops to look for, but here are some of my favorite spots. 

37. Everlane - Feminine and Masculine Clothes that focus on transparency for their whole supply chain. They also use recycled fabrics for coats and shoes. 

38. Pact - Fair trade and organic, this is our first stop for the few things we won't get secondhand (underwear, especially). 

39. American Giant - T-shirts, Sweats, and other basics for both men and women. Both the materials and manufacturing are in America.

40. Blue Canoe - Feminine, made in America, and eco-friendly fashion that could suit a wide range of ages and body types. 

41. SAS Shoes - All made in America masculine and feminine clothes in a super wide range of styles. Extremely durable, and a wide range of professional shoes (restaurants, hospitals, etc) too. 

42. Zappos- This store has tons of shoes, bags, jewelry, and clothing, and you can easily search to limit to their Made in America options. If you want to save big money, try their discount shop 6pm too. 

43. Rothy's - Their shoes are just cool, and a great way to recycle. If you can't find flats on Thred Up, this is a great option. 

Home Goods and Food

There are so many great shops and companies on this list, so I can't wait for you to read it. If you want more ideas for how to find green goods for your house, we have tons of lists for that too! Check out this page. 

44. Grove Collaborative- I have only heard raves about this store, where you can find all sorts of cleaning supplies and home goods here, as well as some beauty and bathroom products. 

45. Who Gives a Crap - We love this brand, that makes sustainable bulk toilet paper, and donates literally millions of their proceeds. Stop buying your toilet paper 6 at a time- bulk is better for the planet. 

46. Reel - This company sells bamboo paper towels and toilet paper (no more trees should die for our butts) and raises money for toilets, sewage, and water access in underserved countries. They are the next company we want to check out. 

47. Freedom Paper Company - This Black-owned business also sells recycled and eco-friendly toilet paper in bulk. 

48. Lehman's - This store is a favorite for homesteaders, and markets towards people who want to live "A simpler life." They have tons of products, many of which are made in America, that are generally built to last. A great place to look if you have never checked it out. 

49. Jacob Bromwell- This kitchen good and flask store has been making their lifetime guarantee goods in the United States for 200 years. They are pricey, but worth it, and might make a great gift if you are committed to just buying one thing.

50. Honest Company - This company isn't great in terms of the environment (lots of plastic and packaging), but if you are going to buy these things, doing it from them instead of Amazon still is probably a step up. 

Spices and Food

51. Herban Farms- This is a great resource for spices, seasonings, and sauces. 

52. Penzey's Spices - This shop features all sorts of spices and gift boxes. I am coming back to shop here. 

53. Thrive Market - This online grocery store with food, beauty, vitamins, baby and kid stuff. Basically anything you can get at Whole Foods (which is also owned by Jeff Bezos). Such a great resource to find more organic and environmentally responsible switches for all the products you love. 

54. Boxed - Like using Amazon to get your bulk items? Boxed is a great resource where you can get bulk stuff in one place. Not all of it is particularly eco-friendly, but bulk items tend to use less packaging than smaller packages, so it can be a good option. 

55. Kuma Coffee - A directly sourced coffee company. I am not a coffee person, so I would love more tips for this one if you have a small coffee company you love!

56. King Arthur Baking - I was blown away by all the cooking, baking, and storage items they have in their store, right along with flours and mixes. 

Body and Beauty

57. Lakota Made - This lovely shop based in South Dakota features soaps and herbal remedies made by the owner. She has a wide variety of pretty bar soaps to try. 

58. Lush - This brand is surprisingly mainstream, and you can get many of their products on their website. It seems weird to buy it without smelling it, but I canhighly recommend

59. Eco-Collective - If you want a one stop shop for more environmentally-friendly beauty and body stuff, this shop is probably a good first stop. 

60. Sephora - If you like beauty stuff, Sephora has a huge collection online. It can be on the pricey end (for the record, all the major pharmacies are online with lots of beauty products too). 

61. Alaffia - This African-owned green and fair-trade company sells body, face, hair, and baby products. 

62. Briogeo - I have heard so many raves about this hair care company, which is clean, perfect for lots of diverse hair types, and owned by a Black woman. 

63. Ethique - This brand sells one of our favorite products - the soap bar. They have lots of options for skin and hair, as well as concentrates if the shampoo bar has not worked for you. They also have some household cleaners to try. 

64. River Organics - This low-waste beauty shop is perfect for skin care without the plastic. 

65. The Detox Market - This store offers a pretty wide variety of products (skin, hair, makeup, and wellness) with pretty high standards for chemical ingreidents and a commitment to cut down on plastic packaging. 

Decor and Furniture

66. Schoolhouse Electric - This store is on the pricey end, but they offer all sorts of beautiful lighting and decor for your house, much of which is made in Oregon. 

67. Ikea - Need some cheap furniture? Ikea is not perfect, but they are continuously making moves to be more sustainable and mindful of their impact. If you need something simple/cheap (and you can't find it secondhand), check Ikea. 

68. AptDeco - This website for secondhand furniture is pretty big in New York, and it is catching on in other areas. You can find all sorts of secondhand furniture pieces here. 

69. Eighth Generation - This store is owned by members of the Snoqualmie community in Seattle, and it sells gorgeous blankets and other jewelry and decor.

70. Vermont Wood Studios - This company sells furniture and decor, including an eco-friendly section, where the furniture is made with sustainably harvested wood. 

Outdoors Gear

Outdoor goods can be expensive and intimidating, but the bright side is there are lots of places to shop for them. 

71. Geartrade- This website offers a chance to buy and sell secondhand outdoors stuff. Another great opportunity to save some money and keep things out of landfills. 

72. Patagonia - All outdoors stuff seems expensive to me, but this outdoors store is truly mindful of their environmental impact. 

73. REI- It's another great resource for outdoors gear, and it has its own resale part of the store, so you can keep an eye out for something you would like, but spend less money and have less environmental impact. Northface also has a similar program. 

Electronics

This one is... tough. Electronics is a terrible area for when you are trying to be eco-friendly. My best advice is to make what you have last as long as you possibly can. There are a few bright spots though. 

74. BH Photo and Video - This New York store started as a photography supply store, but now carries quite a few electronics. It might be a great option if you can't get what you want secondhand.

75. House of Marley - This brand sells headphones, speakers, and turntables, using slightly more environmentally-responsible materials (at least they are trying?). They also plant trees for every order. 

Art Supplies

This is the area where I am most guilty. If you also tend to overshop art and craft supplies, here are some strategies to be creative without making so much waste. For the things you need, check out local shops, and here are some online resources. 

75. Blick - This shop sells higher end supplies, so it might not be a great fir for crafts for kids, but it doesn't hurt to take a look. If you are in Northern California, Flax Art Supplies is an even better option. You may have an arts and crafts store near you as well- be sure to look it up!

76. Michael's - I am in big trouble, because I didn't realize you could shop online from them until this moment. They aren't perfect, but they aren't Hobby Lobby either. 

77. Make and Mend - This online shop sells secondhand art supplies. Just browsing through now, and I am ready to buy like 10 things. Perfect for all the parents of creative kids out there, or anyone who is still a maker. 

78. Lovecrafts - This site has tons of fabric and crocheting supplies. It's a perfect spot for any crafter.

79. Cloverworks - This small farm in Vermont has an online store for their beautiful yarn.

 

Big Box... But a Little Better

You can avoid these big box stores and still get a lot of things in the same place. These are three great places to check with first. 

80. Costco - Look, Costco is not perfect by any means, but they do have a great reputation for how they treat their employees. They also have some areas that are VERY short on good options elsewhere, like electronics. If you are at a loss, Costco might be a good stop before you give up and head back to Amazon. 

81. Overstock - This website started as only carrying overstocked goods, but it's selection is pretty wide now. If you want to keep it more eco-friendly, you can search for items that are made in America, 

82.Made in America Co - This is the largest store online that sells and features made in America items and brands. This includes Liberty Tabletop, who are just the best. No matter your politics, if you live in America, buying things from American companies has big environmental positives. You can try to Made in America Store too if this is your kind of shopping. 

Odds and Ends

83. Artifact Bags- Purses, Aprons, and Masks

84. Amoeba Music - You can get all sorts of music and movies from this iconic LA store's online site. 

85. Chewy - Seemingly everything you need for your pet. 

86. The Compleat Strategist - Games and Board Games

87. Eco-Products - Eco-friendly cups, plates, and more

88. Forbidden Planet - Toys, Games, and Collectibles

89. Northern Tool - Tools and Equipment

90. Polywood- Recycled Outdoor Furniture

91. Tool Nut - Tools and Equipment

92. True Leaf Market - Seeds

Want more shopping ideas? We have tons of them. Check out this page for Gift Ideas and this list for all of our favorite Etsy stores. 

One of the worries I hear most about giving children experience gifts is that they won't really understand what they are getting. With adults, you can hand them a gift card and they will totally get it- in fact they will probably be excited! One less thing to clean, one more to remember.

Kids aren't so simple.

Most kids "get" toys. By 3, you can count on them to get pretty excited when you put a toy in front of them.

Experience gifts are more abstract, and it means that they don't always get that big reaction. It is hard to forego the complete joy of watching a kid opening a toy when you aren't even sure that the kid you love will understand what is in front of them.

You are messing with all sorts of expectations- toys are NOW, some experience gifts are later. Toys are NEW so they seem SPECIAL, experience gifts can seem actually kind of normal- people take kids to stuff all the time! It can be hard for them to differentiate between something for them or just another thing.

All of these things can make gifting experiences to people intimidating, and the younger they are, the harder it can be to tell if you are getting it right or totally wrong. But the truth is, kids need experience gifts more than anyone; we know that kids actually play less if they have more toys. We know that they need our presence, our complete attention, and our enthusiasm. We know that they need us to care about their interests and to invest in their learning.

Experience Gifts are absolutely the best- here are 99 of our best ideas for a gift they will never forget.

Just ask yourself- how many gifts can you actually remember your parents/aunts/grandparents giving to you? Now think of your best memory with them. Which makes your heart feel full? We can give kids so much by simply caring about them and spending time with them.

So, how do you give an experience gift and still get that excited reaction? I have some ideas!

1. Say it with Art

Kids make art often, and they tend to understand visual languages WAY more than we give them credit for. You can do something simple, like decorate a card with drawings inside. You could make a sculpture or a diorama that they can play with out of clay or just hot glue and the garbage in your house. It does NOT have to be fancy! Think about how many things children make for others, and how little as adults we make for them.

Taking them to a show or movie? Make one of the characters out of cardboard! Something where you can use recycled materials and they can keep/use it a long time is always the best option.

It doesn't have to look beautiful. It just has to have your enthusiasm in it, and you have to be ready to talk about it with them. They will remember that forever. Don't be afraid to be creative- and you can always ask Pinterest for help!

2. Start a Countdown

Did you get tickets for both of your to a basketball game? A weekend at a water park? Print out a picture of where you are going (bonus points if you photoshop them in there). Then make a paper chain of the number of days until the big event. Kids love counting down to things, and it just means that get to enjoy the anticipation phase completely.

3. A Token or a Tool

If you are gifting lessons, think about what kinds of tools they might need to finish the job? When we first got our niece piano lessons, we got two little piano books of music she knew as a gift to go with it. Honestly, I have no idea if she ever used them (though now I bet she could!), but the books full of notes made it clear what she was getting.

4. Use Lots of Pictures

Make a little book of pictures explaining what you are going to do. You can print out a cover that says "Mama and Bob's Special Day." If you are getting an experience

5. Make a Scavenger Hunt

Send the kiddo on a journey through the house to find clues for their gift. It makes the whole thing so exciting, and you can give them little clues about the destination as you go. I have also heard of tying ribbon to tickets, and then running the ribbon all around the house. They can follow the ribbon to the big reveal!



Doing an experience gift is so much better for the kid and it's better for the planet. You can make the whole gift, from the giving to the experience itself so special and memorable that it will totally blast that old toy out of the water. It just takes a little creativity and thoughtfulness about who this little person really is. And that is really what they need from you anyway! Happy Gifting!

So your kid has a teacher you really love, and now is the time of year to show your appreciation. That's awesome! Now, repeat after me "I will not buy this poor soul yet another mug..."

There is so much EPICALLY bad advice out there for teacher's gifts. Most teachers do not need a cutesy mason jar to put their pens in. Or another mug with their name on it. Or candy dressed up in some sort of extra cutesy packaging (that in the end is just extra waste). They are out of room for Knick Knacks, and they don't need something else with an apple on it. I love that people want to do something kind, but these are probably all options worth skipping.



You can give your kid's teacher a gift that they will actually love AND it will be better for the environment. More stuff is just more waste, so when you approach gifts, think about it this way:

Buy Less Stuff- We tend to pick gifts with lots of parts- a gift card! And a mug! With some candy in it! And maybe some pencils or something! At some point, we all internalized this idea that what we are giving isn't enough, so we sprinkle extras on everything. That is a waste! I have seen my dad's wife, an elementary school teacher, come home with gobs of these ribbons and candies and bows- what an they do with all of that? Instead, think simple and useful.

This means that experience gifts and gift cards might be the best thing you can offer. Maybe your help fixing something could be the best gift! It may not make a flashy display, but it means something to them. That's a successful gift.

Buy Secondhand- If you are going to go for classroom supplies to help this teacher out, check out eBay, secondhand stores, and creative reuse stores (there are more out there than you think). You can buy them heaping piles of markers or construction paper for a few dollars, and it will last them much longer.

Buy American- If you want to help the environment, buy things from companies that still manufacture in the US. The further items travel, the higher their carbon footprint, and the more waste they make. You can read more about this on the Green School Shopping list, but by simply buying American-made Crayolas over other crayons, you can have a positive impact.

Buy to Help

Being a teacher is an epically difficult and undersupported job- your support, from a thoughtful letter to a donation to an underserved classroom will be the most powerful gift you can give. Stop thinking about impressing people or keeping up with the Joneses, and think about support instead.

Alright, it's gift idea time! Let's do this.

A Kind Note or Picture

No matter what you decide to gift your kid's teacher, a word of encouragement will be the thing they remember most. Just write them a note to say thank you. Have your kid write a list about their favorite parts of class. Have them draw a picture. Work together with your kid and be specific!

That teacher needs that encouragement, and too often we mask our appreciation in general gifting instead of being specific and vulnerable. If you don't want to be too doting (afraid it looks like you are sucking up), you can still gift a homemade picture or card and save the serious praise for the end of the year.

A Homemade Ornament

Ok, this can be perfect if you don't have a ton of money or if you want to pair something with a (less personal) gift card. Make a small ornament with your kiddo, and put their name and year on it. This can make for a really sweet gift without taking up a ton of room. I have read a lot of teachers love to see how they add up over decades of teaching.

THAT SAID, know your audience. Some teachers love this sort of thing, and some hate it. Easiest way to find out which you are getting a gift for? Just ask! You won't ruin any surprise.

Grocery Cards

So many teachers are struggling to get by, so rather than another cutesy mug, getting them something completely practical like a gift card for groceries. This can help them get through the month of December OR have their own extra spending money for gifts. Just think, if your kid's whole class bought grocery cards as the gift, you could keep that teacher fed for quite a while!

Supplies (or a Gift Card for Supplies)

We all know that many (most) teachers are investing a lot of their own money into their classrooms and supplies, because they don't have the funding they need. You could help by buying bulk sets of crayons (do Crayola, who at least is still made in the US), tissue boxes, or just ask them what they need/want! For eco-friendly and American-made school supplies, check out this list. Soap and/or hand-sanitizer can also be big wins for them.

Also, a really nice set of sharpies or pens can be a big treat. Those things have a way of sneaking off. And who doesn't love the feeling of an excellent pen? My favorite are these recycled plastic ones from Pilot.

If that feels like a big leap, gift cards to teacher supply stores or bookstores can be a really sweet gift as well.

Experiences

Movie tickets, gift cards, concert tickets, restaurant gift certificates. They can't always treat themselves, but these experience gifts take care of them in a really fun and positive way. Want to really make their day? Find out where they go out for drinks or coffee with their coworkers, and get a gift card to treat them to a few drinks (alcohol or otherwise). For a whole host of experience gift ideas, check out this list.

Use your Skills

Have you noticed something that the teacher might need in the room? Things that need fixed or laminated or built? This may seem crazy, but offer to fix it. Sometimes they don't have even have the time to address little problems like these, but maybe you do. Another great one might be to take all those crayon nubbins they have sitting around and melt them down into new crayons for them! It is good for the Earth, and it saves money for the future.

Every teacher can use some sort of help- you can totally volunteer!

A Donation

Have a teacher that is passionate about the environment? Or other cultures? Or has everything for their classroom (but knows other teachers aren't so lucky)? Instead of giving them another gift or tchochky, give a donation in their honor. It could be to an organization you know they care about or to another teacher who is struggling through Donors Choose.

The best teachers tend to be really caring people, so I guarantee you, they are passionate about something. It will feel good for them to know you are helping the world in their honor. You can help in their mission to make the world a little bit better.

Want more ideas for donation gifts? Check out this list of ideas.

Car Wash or Gas Station Gift Cards

I cannot think of anything more practical, but they need this stuff! Treat them to something they need, and they can treat themselves to something they want.

Something to Eat (or Coffee to Drink)

If you want to give them a treat, ask around about their favorites, and actually make something. I know that bag of candy is easier, but all of that individually wrapped goodness creates a lot of waste. Better to make your own truffles or cookies or fudge and cut down on the plastic.

That said, it also doesn't have to be baked! One of my teacher friends says she is already feeling oversugared. Something else to share in the lounge will be a welcome break from the cookies. Want to be just as popular without the work? Buy some ethical coffee for the teachers to share in the lounge- they move right through it!

A Plant

We know that indoor plants can improve the air quality and mental health of everyone in the room. A simple potted plant (maybe with the note "thanks for helping me grow") could be an excellent gift for a teacher and their classroom.

Ok teachers, what am I missing off of this list? What is your favorite gift you ever gave a teacher?

This year, I am buying everyone a ball for Christmas. And I am crazy excited about it.

I am buying everybody a Cora ball.

Now, I hate to spoil the surprise, but if you want to buy someone a physical gift OR a gift that could actually help save our planet, I can't think of anything better. I am not making any money off this post, I am really just this excited about the idea.

So what the heck is one of these things?

Cora Ball's go in your washing machine with every load of laundry. They suck up the microfiber plastic waste that is shedding off your clothes, into the machine, and out into our water sources. We know now that all of these tiny fibers, the size of one piece of glitter, are a massive problem for our oceans and our bodies. You can read all about it here.

We now ingest about a credit card's worth of plastic a month; most of that is plastic shed off in clothing. It's too small to notice, but we can see it adds up. When you consider that there are connections between plastics and hormonal problems, endocrine issues, and even cancer, those tiny shreds off our leggings become a big deal.

There's a ton of responsibility to go around for this, and most of it is clothing manufacturers' faults. There should not be plastic-based synthetic clothes on the market. There should also be a filter in every single washing machine to keep these microfibers out of our water.  Your washing machine manufacturer could solve this problem, but we have to let them know we notice.

A couple of products- the Cora Ball and the Guppyfriend bag are the ones I hear about the most (but they aren't the only ones by far)- will do the work of a filter and trap microplastics before they hit our water sources.

If every washing machine had one of these in it, it could dramatically decrease the amount of plastic dumped into our water on a daily basis. But for that to work, it would have to become as normal as detergent or dryer sheets.

So this year, I am buying these for everybody. My plan is basically to buy a bunch in bulk and hand them out. If everyone who cared about the environment gave one of these filter products as gifts (or even just bought one for themselves), we could take a huge chunk out of this real and terrifying problem.

In most cases, I don't think we can buy our way out of environmental problems, and I don't think this will solve it completely, but I think we can slow down the dump of plastic into our water, and this is one way to do it. We can't control what our family and friends choose for clothing (so we can't keep plastic out of their wardrobes- they may just love leggings), but we can help them EASILY keep that plastic out of waterways.

So what the heck do you write in a card when giving a weird gift like this?

1. Wish them a happy holiday
2. Acknowledge this is a really weird gift.
3. Explain what it is. Let them know they are eating credit cards worth of plastic.
4. Explain how easy it is to throw it in your laundry.
5. Talk about how you love them (and maybe how it's cool to be on the planet-saving team with them).

If you think it's a particularly hard sell, tell them it makes laundry softer too or something. Kidding. Sort of.

Will you get some weird looks? Oh definitely, but it will be memorable. If you have any particularly tough family members who you know won't use it, then skip them. But if you think just maybe, your loved one could make use of that ball, then it is a gift for everyone, not just the individual. It is also a gift to them because they get the warm fuzzy feeling of doing something good without investing any time or money. That's pretty awesome.


So, it's a weird one, but it is totally my plan. What gifts have you given that are good for the environment? What are you excited to gift this year?

So your friend or family member got new digs, and they are ready to celebrate. It’s always tricky to know what to bring to these things. Housewarming parties usually imply some sort of gift (unless they explicitly say otherwise), but it would be nice to give a gift that doesn’t add to the home’s cluttering. They are just getting started there, how could they possibly want a bunch of clutter!?

For many of us, this also poses an environmental challenge. Most fruit baskets and the like come wrapped in plastic, and we don’t want to put money into something that is just going to land in a landfill. So what do you give them instead?

Here are my best ideas for gifts that will help the home start on a green foot. Bonus, they will likely be favorite gifts for a long, long time!

1. Hours of Help

Home ownership is kind of the worst. Everything is your problem, and if they have recently moved in, they probably have an overwhelming list of to do’s, just ready to bog down their weekends. You can make that to do list a little bit fun by offering to come help paint the bathrooms or stain the deck or plant that bush. It will be way more fun with your help.

If you live nearby, there is no better gift than a (fulfilled) promise to help with the upcoming projects that are just a part of moving into a new space. If you can trust them to take you up on it, offer painting help or help moving. Gift something edible with a little coupon good for 3 hours of help.

from 112JamesStreet

2. Cloth Napkins

Cloth Napkins are the easiest eco- friendly switch you can make, and once you get in the habit of using them, you will wonder why you EVER used paper ones. There are so many beautiful (but unfussy) ones, so this could make a really nice gift.

There are thousands of options for cloth napkins on Etsy, and you can read our post on our favorite stores for cloth napkins. You can find one for any style, and it can (and should!) be a gamechanger for anyone.

3. Toilet Paper

Feeling generous? Buy the family a big old box of bamboo toilet paper from Who Gives a Crap? and enjoy how weird you have made things. But you know that it will get used, that you have kept trees from coming down, and that you made zero plastic waste with that gift. And I bet they will never forget it!

4. A Tree or Plant

If someone is celebrating a new home with a yard, help them celebrate that space with a beautiful native plant or tree. It’s amazing for the environment (we now know one of the best chances we have against Climate Change is to simply plant an epic number of trees- no more weird empty grass lawns). It is also amazing for their home- it raises the value, keeps the house cooler, and even can help minimize depression in the household. Trees and plants are IMPORTANT. You get bonus points if you help plant it.

If they don’t have a yard, you can still gift a beautiful potted plant or (even tastier) a little herb garden. If you want a cool planter, check out these ones we found on Etsy. Plants are happiness, so you are basically gifting happiness here.

5. Cloth Grocery and Produce Bags

Many of us have cloth grocery bags, but maybe not as many as you think. You can give this gift in a number of eco-friendly ways. First, head to your local thrift shops and buy them four or five tote bags that would work for this purpose.

If you can't find them used, you can still get them new. For grocery and produce bags, I recommend keeping it simple; a cotton tote- you can get thousands of them (21,000 just on Etsy), so you can gift a sassy one or support one of their favorite businesses or organizations. These extra large ones make a lot of sense,

For produce bags, I absolutely love Colony Co Reusable Bags- once you try these, you will never want to go back to plastic. They are strong and weirdly pretty. We have been using the same bunch for a long time, and they really hold up.

6. Bamboo Toothbrushes

A little personal? Maybe. But toothbrushes create a pretty significant amount of plastic waste. It could be cute with a candy bar or a baked sweet treat.

Plastic toothbrushes put all sorts of nonsense chemicals in your mouth (and it isn't regulated particularly, so it is worth it to be wary), you have two better options- bamboo or Preserve's recycled foodsafe plastic toothbrushes.

One BIG tip- If you are trying to gift without plastic (GO YOU!), really look at the reviews of the bamboo toothbrush you choose. LOTS of people complain of buying a bamboo toothbrush only to have it arrive in plastic. If you shop somewhere mainstream like Amazon, you can find that information, so take the time to do so (but try a shop like The Refill Revolution or Tiny Yellow Bungalow instead- it takes hutspah to run a small business and even more to serve the Earth at the same time).

from Amazon

7. Dish Brushes and Dust Pans

If you want to get something that is practical, ethically-made, AND beautiful, it does not get much better than Redecker. They make dust pans and dish brushes suddenly seem like pretty precious objects. So it seems like a sweet gift while still being incredibly practical AND cutting down on plastic waste.

The other great thing about this brand is that they sell refills, so they can keep using the same brush for a long, long time. I love this gift idea so much.

8. Bar Soap

Bar soap is a simple gift that can perfectly fit their taste, support a local business, AND cuts down on plastic waste! Skip Bath and Bodyworks (the gift that says "I don't know you") and get your loved one something made nearby that smells amazing and saves the world. Bar soap beats liquid hands down, so your budding environmentalist might be all about the saved plastic. If you want something you can get online, Kiss my Face's olive oil soap (wrapped in paper) is my favorite face soap.

Bar soap yields over 100,000 finds on Etsy, so narrow it down by geography and see what is being made near you. Or ask at local shops and grocery stores. I would LOVE this gift, as I love trying new soaps.

9. Dryer Balls

Dryer Balls are a perfect gift- they will get tons of use, and they keep those dryer sheets out of the trash. I got these a few years ago as a Christmas gift and LOVED it. They have lasted for hundreds of loads, and they have to be one of the simplest switches away from wasteful living.

 You can see my list of dryer balls here. Don't want to poke around? Ok, buy these.

10. A Co-op Box or Local Goodies

So many places have farm subscription boxes or csa boxes now. Our small town we grew up in even has one. If you want to add a little bit of local flavor to their new home, the boxes can be really inspiring when there are new foods and resources to try! The more a diet hinges on plants instead of animals, the better it is for the environment, so you can help to shift that focus.

You can't go wrong with consumables, and the more local, the better. Think about what local treats are available and maybe you will get inspired too! If nothing comes to mind, you could always bring something you made.




Have a housewarming coming up? Try one of these awesome gifts! What are your favorite green gifts to give?