What gifts to buy sustainably this Christmas
Ōtepoti - Does a loved one really need it? Everything a person buy needs energy to be made and produces greenhouse gas as a result. The most sustainable item is the one people never bought.
Was the gift made or grown locally? Transporting goods and services takes energy. Wherever possible, choose gifts that have been made or grown locally. Buying locally will support the local economy and employment and minimise energy use and emissions.
Is the gift made from biodegradable or recycled materials? Plant-based products generally require less energy than synthetic-based products. Think wood, paper, cardboard, linen, organic cotton. Items made from recycled materials also take less energy to produce in general, generating fewer emissions.
Are you buying from a carbon-conscious company? Do a little research to find out whether your purchase will be supporting a business that is taking action. Look for sustainability certifications(external link) that show a product, service or business is taking measurable steps to reduce or offset its carbon footprint.
How is the gift packaged? Packaging goods takes energy. Choose products with minimal, low-carbon packaging such as cardboard or recycled materials. While you're at it, remember to take bags from home when you go shopping, create an e-card rather than use a paper card, and get creative with your gift wrapping.
If every New Zealander replaced one $10 gift card with a donation to a good cause, that would be $49 million of goodness – and a lot less packaging and wrapping going to the landfill.
Everything people but for Christmas needs energy to be made and produces greenhouse gas as a result. The most sustainable item is the one you never bought.
Was the gift made or grown locally? Transporting goods and services takes energy. Wherever possible, choose gifts that have been made or grown locally. Buying locally will support the local economy and employment and minimise energy use and emissions.
Is the gift made from biodegradable or recycled materials? Plant-based products generally require less energy than synthetic-based products. Think wood, paper, cardboard, linen, organic cotton. Items made from recycled materials also take less energy to produce in general, generating fewer emissions.
Are you buying from a carbon-conscious company? Do a little research to find out whether your purchase will be supporting a business that is taking action. Look for sustainability certifications(external link) that show a product, service or business is taking measurable steps to reduce or offset its carbon footprint.
How is the gift packaged? Packaging goods takes energy. Choose products with minimal, low-carbon packaging such as cardboard or recycled materials. While you're at it, remember to take bags from home when you go shopping, create an e-card rather than use a paper card, and get creative with your gift wrapping.
Lisa was born in Auckland at the start of the 1970s, living in a small campsite community on the North Shore called Browns Bay. She spent a significant part of her life with her grandparents, often hanging out at the beaches. Lisa has many happy memories from those days at Browns Bay beach, where fish were plentiful on the point and the ocean was rich in seaweed. She played in the water for hours, going home totally “sun-kissed.” “An adorable time to grow up,” Lisa tells me.
Lisa enjoyed many sports; she was a keen tennis player and netballer, playing in the top teams for her age right up until the family moved to Wellington. Lisa was fifteen years old, which unfortunately marked the end of her sporting career. Local teams were well established in Wellington, and her attention was drawn elsewhere.