While the holidays can be extremely stressful for consumers, they are even more stressful for the environment. Every aspect of the joyful time can have a negative impact on the environment. 

Lights, wrapping paper, even the cookies you leave out for Santa. The holiday season is specifically detrimental to our planet due to the increased levels of consumerism, and a rise in the mass – production of products. 

As an example, take the trend of matching Christmas pajamas for the whole family. According to the Environmental Justice Foundation, cotton cultivation accounts for 220 million tons of CO2 per year. And although cotton crops only account for around 2.3% of the world’s land that is suitable for crops, over 16% of global insecticides are used on crops. 

Global cotton crops are subject to 8.2 million tons of chemical treatments every year, including both synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. But it isn’t only the Earth that feels the effect of this, it’s the people as well. 

The chemicals poison humans, destroy the soil, eliminate biodiversity, and pollute sources of water. All of this negative impact on the environment comes from consumers’ cotton Christmas pajamas. 

However daunting these facts may be, there are still plenty of ways that you can help the environment this holiday season. 

Here are a few ways you can be more eco-friendly when giving gifts. 

Smart Gifting

When deciding on Christmas gifts this year, try “smart gifting.” Basically, this is another way of saying think about what you’re buying. 

While it is always wonderful to receive a fun gift, there is also something to be said about practical gifting. Yes, receiving socks as a Christmas present can be underwhelming. Smart gifting, however, raises the notion to purchase intentionally. 

Find things that you know the recipient will enjoy, and then find the most sustainable version of the item. As an example: say you are buying someone a pair of socks for Christmas. Instead of purchasing a mass-produced pair, find a sustainable brand. 

These small actions make a huge difference and don’t detract from the overall gift. 

Beauty

Beauty products are some of the most popular gifts every year. But when it comes to the beauty world, it is far from sustainable. 

However, many brands are taking steps towards becoming more environmentally – friendly! By choosing these brands for gifts, you can make quite an impact. One example of a sustainable brand is Raw Sugar. 

Raw Sugar produces a wide variety of products, ranging from chapstick to body wash. They have a “do-no-harm” policy, which, in their own words, means “we never test on animals, are mindful of harmful chemicals and are constantly seeking new ways to protect our planet and use less virgin plastic.” 

Founded in 2014, Raw Sugar has been producing accessible, eco-friendly products for many years. And as if that weren’t enough, they also have a donation program in place and have already donated more than 15 million products to families in need. While Raw Sugar is unique in its complete commitment to sustainable living, there are other beauty brands out there that you can feel good about supporting. Method, Love Beauty & Planet, and Eco Tools are just a few. 

This Christmas, don’t be afraid to learn about how some of the brands you’re buying are affecting the planet. 

Wrapping Paper

One significant way you can help the planet this holiday season is by eliminating your use of wrapping paper. Half of the paper Americans consume every year is used to wrap and decorate consumer products.

Wrapping paper isn’t always recyclable, contrary to popular belief, due to the variety of add ons. These add ons (like glitter or dyes) are most common on Christmas-themed paper than any others. 

One way to reduce your paper usage is as simple as using gift bags- which are easily reusable. Some other mediums that could be used are newspapers, boxes, even fabric. Using what you can find around your house is a great way to recycle, and eliminate the amount of paper being thrown away. 

But if you still feel inclined to buy traditional wrapping paper, there are alternatives you can still use. One is to make sure you’re purchasing wrapping paper that can be recycled. And don’t worry, it’s still plenty festive! Another alternative is to use “no-tear” paper. This is simply paper made out of a thicker material, making it harder to rip. With fewer tears, the paper is more likely to be reused. 

This holiday season, don’t shy away from sustainable gift options. That way you can keep Earth merry and bright for years to come.