10 Eco-Friendly Household items to put on your Christmas List

10 Eco-Friendly Household items to put on your Christmas List

With Christmas fast-approaching, one question you have to ask yourself — “Have I completed my Christmas Wishlist?”. If you haven’t, now is the perfect time to do some last-minute checking and probably some brainstorming with yourself.

Without a doubt, the majority of what you have listed will probably be gadgets like mobile phones, tablets, laptops, or any other electronic device. BUT, do you need all of these things? Probably not, especially if your old gadgets are still working fine.

Instead of smartphones and laptops, think practical. Useful household items should be given more thought as opposed to fancy gadgets. Specifically, consider eco-friendly household items.

They’re a great addition to your Christmas list which you’ll definitely be using. Admit it, most of the time, things that you receive as gifts just end up in your closet to gather dust. Best of all, you reduce your carbon footprint and help save the environment.

Sounds too good to be true? Take a good look at these ten eco-friendly household items that you SHOULD include on your Christmas list.

Biodegradable kitchen utensils

One of the easiest and often overlooked ideas when it comes to making your home a lot friendlier to the environment, are kitchen utensils. You might have been using plastic kitchen utensils for so long that you’re not even aware organic versions of them exist.

From spoons, forks, spatulas, chopping boards, etc. — these are all available just waiting for you to notice. They don’t contain harmful chemicals commonly found in plastics. And if they end up in landfills, you have nothing to worry as they’ll decompose naturally.

Recycled glass items

Did you know that glass is an infinitely recyclable material? That’s right! And did you know that 587,000 tons of recycled glass in 2001 saved enough electricity to launch ten space missions? There’s a lot of benefits recycling glass offers that one page will not be enough to list them all down.

Recycled glass can be turned into wine glasses (perfect for the occasion), decors, tumblers, necklaces, and a whole lot more. So instead, of glass ‘staying forever’ in landfills, make them a part of your house and help reduce waste.

You can start checking local stores near you to get them. You can also visit the following websites alternatively.

• http://refreshglass.com/
• https://www.etsy.com/market/recycled_glass   
• https://www.uncommongoods.com/sets/recycled-glass-gifts  

All-purpose eco cleaning products

After all the festivities are done, all that’s left is a mess — a whole lot of it.

So instead of getting rid of it using commercial products which contain harmful chemicals (not to mention the strong and unhealthy odor they emit), why not use natural cleaning products?

A perfect example is Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner. It’s an all-rounder that can be used to clean pretty much anything around the house. Pair it with a washing-up pad made of loofah plant, and you’re one step closer to a truly eco-friendly home.

Biodegradable toothbrush

Brushing your teeth is something that you do twice (at least) every day. Now, most dentists recommend that you replace your toothbrush every three months. If you do the quick math, that’s four toothbrushes in a year — and definitely, so much more if you consider how many people use them!

Toothbrushes are made of plastic, and at the end of their useful life, they end up in landfills as well. A bamboo toothbrush is just what you need to reduce your plastic usage. Every component of it is plant-based —  from the bristles, handle, wrapper, and even the box.

Truly, it’s an excellent way to clean not only your mouth but also your conscience.

Pet waste bags

If you’re a dog lover and a responsible owner, you know that you need to have poop bags whenever you take them out for a walk. Plastic bags have long been used to take care of those poops, and they hurt the environment.

Plastic bags take forever to decompose, and a lot of them are being thrown away every day. Worry no more as BioBag sells biodegradable poop bags of all sizes. They’re made from a resin derived from plants, vegetable oils, and compostable polymers.

Environmentally-friendly coffee

 Who doesn’t love coffee? In fact, it’s the world’s second most tradable commodity after oil. It’s a multi-billion dollar global industry, and the US is the largest consumer of coffee. You might be thinking, how is a cup of coffee harmful to the environment then?

You might be surprised, but it does pose a threat to Mother Nature. Growing coffee beans causes deforestation. At the same time, processing these beans pollutes water, making it contaminated. These are just some of the negative impacts of coffee to the environment.

So how should you address this without sacrificing your love for coffee? You can start by drinking coffee made by eco-friendly coffee roasters. And while you’re at it, be sure that you use biodegradable coffee cups.

Wooden toys

 If you have kids, consider giving them wooden toys. A lot of today’s toys are made with various toxic chemicals and out of unsustainable materials. Wood, on the other hand, is durable and non-toxic. Just make sure that these wooden toys are made from trees harvested in the most ecologically-friendly method.

More importantly, kids will love them! They may not compare to high-tech and fancy battery-operated toys, but they’ll stimulate your kid’s imagination the healthy way.

Soy candles

Candles are very versatile gift items. They can even be given to anyone regardless of the occasion. Soy-based candles are so much healthier than their paraffin wax counterparts, and they’re healthier for the environment as well.

Depending on what you prefer, there are different choices of aromas to choose from. Nevertheless, they’ll be appreciated by anyone who receives them.

Beeswax wrap

Any celebration will never be complete without food. Instead of throwing away leftovers which only adds to more food waste, why not keep them covered for another day? Better yet, use food wraps made from beeswax.

Abeego wraps are an alternative to environment-unfriendly food wraps that a lot of people have been accustomed to using. Their covers are self-adhesive, so you simply need to use pressure and the warmth from your hands to shape and mold it around your food.

Do note, that it is more expensive compared to traditional food wraps. However, these are reusable for up to one year since they’re washable. Besides, the fact that you are helping save the environment more than compensates for the cost.

Gift cards

If none of the eco-friendly items above fit your fancy, you can always settle for gift cards. It’s also eco-friendly in its little way. It’s a reusable plastic card which requires very little wrapping (there are organic gift wraps available, too!).

However, be sure to use those gift cards in eco-friendly stores, alright?

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of eco-friendly household items that you can put on your Christmas list. There are a lot of things to celebrate for this Christmas, and one of them should be being grateful to Mother Nature.

Patronizing eco-friendly products is one of the many ways to show gratitude to the environment.

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