As an individual who cares for the environment, you want to show appreciation for your loved ones with the occasional “just because” gift—perhaps a little something to get through the stressful holiday season—without buying into our society’s wasteful and overly consumptive culture. Here are eco-friendly ideas your significant other (and mother earth) will love.
Organic or Biodynamic Wine
Wine is a classic “just because” gift, and it’s great for sharing over dinner or dessert with your significant other. Natural wines, whether organic or biodynamic, have more subtle and complex aromas. Not only are they a better choice for the environment, but they taste better too. Buying organic will give you the peace of mind that no herbicides or pesticides were used, and only natural preparations were used against rot or mildew. Taking it a step further with biodynamic wine, you’re still getting all the benefits of organic farming and natural winemaking, but you’re also getting a wine that connects the vineyard with the rhythms of the earth.
Flowers And Fruit Baskets
FTD.com provides a variety of eco-friendly gifts that can be delivered at work or while your significant other is away. The Cherry Moon Farms organic fresh and dried fruit basket is a great treat filled with a variety of healthy and eco-conscious delectable. Consider one of the beautiful fair-trade rose bouquets or a veriflora-certified bouquet hand gathered fresh from the farm.
An Experience
What’s more eco-friendly than an intangible gift? Although not physical, the gift of an experience provides your partner with an opportunity to try something new and create memories, perhaps together. If you have no clue what experience to gift, check out Groupon, LivingSocial or Cloud 9 Living for deals in your area. Some gift experience suggestions: massages, comedy show tickets, kayak or stand up paddle board rentals.
Homemade Goods
Everyone’s gotta eat. Homemade jams, desserts, pickled treats and fresh-picked fruits and veggies are great environmentally friendly treats everyone will enjoy. You choose the ingredients that go into your homemade goods, ensuring your gift is organic, all-natural, locally produced and fair-trade.
Try this recipe to make your own garlic dill pickles. Take 8-10 small pickling cucumbers and slice the ends off each. Combine 2 cups of white vinegar, 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of pickling salt together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
In four mason jars, place 1 head of dill and 1 clove of garlic in each. Evenly distribute the cucumbers and pour the boiling mixture over the cucumbers leaving about a half an inch at the top of the jars. Let the jars sit for at least 15 minutes. Get extra creative by making your own labels.
Back to the Roots
For an interactive gift, the Water Garden (formerly known as the Aqua Farm) is a self-cleaning fish tank that grows food for the mini garden on top of the tank. The fish feed the plants and in return, the plants clean the water. The Water Garden comes complete with everything you need to start your at-home ecosystem. It’s certified USDA organic, non-GMO, and is 100 percent USA soil and seeds.
Destined to be an Armenian housewife perfecting her hummus recipe, Natalie instead chose a life of marine field biology and sriracha. Born and raised in southern California, her veins rush with salty seawater and sunshine no matter where she goes. When she’s not saving jellyfish from extinction, Natalie is dancing in the shower, knitting on a plane or swinging in her hammock.
Steve Cooper is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Hitched. You can follow him on Twitter at @hitchedmedia.
