Former Content Creator, Editorial & Creative Team, The Public Interest Network
For many, this holiday season will feel like a return to normal. But what if we didn’t return to piles of presents and even bigger piles of waste?
We don’t have to, and U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s “Buy Less, Give More” guide has suggestions for what to do instead. It shares 10 ideas for holiday gifts that are useful and fun — and better for the planet — such as exchanging hand-made or second-hand gifts or treating loved ones to a concert or trip. This approach to gift-giving reduces the toll that producing, packaging, shipping and disposing of new products takes on our communities and our environment, and lightens the demand on the supply chain.
“The U.S. has a plethora of used items in great working condition that are sitting idly in our homes,” said U.S PIRG Education Fund Zero Waste Campaign Director Alex Truelove. “Our tips identify channels for givers, sellers and buyers alike to embrace the holiday spirit while also reducing waste.”