Consumers are slowly but steadily becoming more conscious of the environmental and ethical consequences of their purchasing decisions. These new attitudes are incentivizing several small organic companies and stimulating greater interest in sustainable and organic gifts. But even though this is indubitably a positive trend, many newbies to the eco-friendly scene struggle to find green, organic gifts for loved ones. Furthermore, many of these products are expensive and inaccessible to the average consumer.
If you are looking to provide your socially conscious loved ones with sustainable and organic gifts, look no further! We have compiled a list of green gifts that you can purchase or create yourself. Our gift guide thus accommodates all price ranges and capacities.
Kona Coffee
Kona Coffee makes for exciting, luxury-grade organic gifts for coffee enthusiasts with ethical inclinations. Because Kona Coffee is produced in the United States, labor costs are much higher than they would be in other coffee-producing countries. Though that means you have to pay a higher price, you can rest easy knowing that the pickers and producers of your coffee received fair compensation for their labor.
Of course, fair trade is only part of the ethical and sustainable picture. The best coffee for your social justice warrior should be not only be fair trade, but also organic. It can be hard to find accessible, organic Kona coffee, but the taste is worth the effort. Kona’s rich volcanic soils and pleasant weather conditions are perfect for growing a fruity and rich, medium-roast coffee, and the organic varieties are that much better. Pele Plantations and Mountain Thunder are two excellent sources of organic Kona Coffee.
DIY Cosmetics
There is a broad array of eco-friendly and sustainably sourced cosmetic products on the market these days. These luxurious products can sometimes make excellent organic gifts for the ethically minded beauty enthusiast in your life. However, they tend to be incredibly expensive, and their eco-friendly labels are often deceptive.
Cut your costs and add a sweet, personal touch to your sustainable and organic gifts by making organic cosmetic products from scratch. You can save organic and fair trade coffee-grounds and blend them with a little coconut oil to create a brightening and moisturizing scrub. Green papaya, ginger, avocado, banana, and organic sugar all contain properties that are great for skin. Just be sure to refrigerate your scrubs and deliver them for use ASAP. While using fresh, organic ingredients is wonderful, it also means the final product has a relatively short shelf life.
Kombucha or Kefir Making Kit
As the benefits of fermentation and probiotic foods become ever more apparent, homemade fermentation projects continue to grow in popularity. Kombucha or kefir making kits are therefore excellent organic gifts for fermentation enthusiasts interested in holistic health and sustainability. These gifts just keep on giving, as you can make more and more as time goes on!
A mother, black tea, and organic sugar are all you need to start a batch of Kombucha. Over time, the mother will grow larger and larger, meaning more Kombucha and the ability to create more Kombucha kits for others. Water kefir is even simpler, requiring just water, sugar, and your choice of fruit.
Holistic, Organic Products
Instead of purchasing fancy food items or ingredients for family members, save a few dollars and go the extra mile by preparing specialty food items in your own kitchen. Salsa, pasta sauce, applesauce, desserts, and holiday favorites are great gifts over the holidays.
Living on an organic farm, we are blessed with the ability to create unique, island-inspired, organic gifts. We process and gift our own organic coffee. We use organic banana, mango, and papaya to create delicious fruit leathers. And we ferment our own vegetables and butcher our own animals to make for delicious and hearty staples. If you live on a farm like us, these options are a great way to create sustainable and affordable gifts. However, if you don’t, you can still complete these projects with organic products from cherished local farmers in your area.
Plants
A plant can be a great gift for those looking to adorn a living space or create a garden. It’s easy and plain enough to purchase a plant and gift it directly to friends or family. But there are a few things you can do to make gifting a plant more sustainable and personal.
If you live on a farm, you can dig up baby plants, like volunteer coffee, avocados, and bananas to make organic gifts for farming friends. You can also gift vegetable seeds or babies. Doing so is an inexpensive way to encourage organic farming and self-sustaining practices in others’ households. A harvest basket of fresh fruits and vegetables is a great gift too, especially for those hosting and cooking for others over the holiday season.
If you really want to go the extra mile, collect aesthetically pleasing stones and shells to create a terrarium for succulents. To make your terrarium more sustainable, use glass from leftover bottles and leftover rope or ribbon from holiday packages.
Hawaii Vacation
If you’re really looking to go the extra mile for parents, best friends, or significant others, purchase them a trip to Hawaii! Classic luxury vacations tend to be environmentally detrimental, producing waste and using fuel that damages local economies and ecosystems. Instead of taking the conventional route, embark on an eco-touristic vacation for one of the best organic gifts you can imagine.
Eco-tourism is defined as a form of travel that yields both economic and environmental benefits for the host community. Forms of eco-tourism might include backcountry restoration projects, water conservation efforts, or trail conservation.
One of the most enjoyable opportunities for eco-tourism is to enjoy a farm stay on an organic farm like Gingerhill. We offer vacations, sustainable living courses, and internship opportunities for those looking to give back to the local environment, learn about sustainability, and enjoy Hawaii’s natural environment. Guests have the opportunity to tour or work on our farm, prepare and enjoy farm-to-table meals, and join in on yoga, meditation, and martial arts. All proceeds are directed towards the development of our sustainable farm and community.
