Only two more weeks until Christmas and if you still have some gifting to do, look no further. We made a list of six sustainable and green gifts to give this season that won’t break the bank and do good for the planet. These gifts are great for the hardworking entrepreneur, busy mom or your zero waste-oriented friends. Whether they live in San Diego or Chicago using these items will reduce waste and make sure to spark joy.

Laundry detergent sheets. Say goodbye to single-use plastic jugs and packaging that pollute our landfills and oceans; even the package is made from natural materials, is recyclable, and is septic safe. The concentrated sheets have strong cleaning power and are biodegradable. They work in all water temperatures and are compatible with front and top-loading, high-efficiency washing machines. 
Reusable straws. Whether you choose metal or bendable silicone straws, they are both eco-friendly alternatives to one-use-only plastic straws. One set of reusable straws can be used for years, replacing hundreds or thousands of plastic straws. They usually come with a travel bag, cleaning brush and are dishwasher safe. 
Mesh produce bags. Skip the plastic bag in the produce isle and use these lightweight high-grade organic cotton bags with double stitching that can carry over 20 pounds. These kitchen reusable grocery bags are zero waste and fully biodegradable. Forget about any plastic or heavy metal toggles and closure beads. Use these drawstring mesh bags hundreds of times and they will still retain their quality. Each reusable bag is safe for the storage of food. The mesh allows for easy identification of contents and provides excellent air circulation. You can hang full bags of onions, potatoes, and garlic by the drawstring for extra pantry space. 
Reusable Make up remover pads. Ever wonder what happens to all the disposable cotton rounds when you throw them in the garbage? They take several years to degrade and impact our environment. These washable cotton rounds not only save you money but make a substantial reduction in waste.  
Beeswax food wrap. These reusable food wraps are ideal for any family that packs a lunch for school or work. They are not only environmentally friendly and highly sustainable but also make sure your food stays fresher for longer.  
Eco-friendly beauty bars. Over 40% of the plastic comes from product packaging; 80 Billion plastic bottles disposed of around the world each year are from shampoo & conditioner alone. Beauty bars are made for the hair, face and use biodegradable ingredients and compostable packaging so all solid bars leave no trace.

With the upcoming holidays, we thought a gift guide inspired by the zero waste lifestyle would be a great way to remind ourselves that we are all responsible for keeping our planet clean and healthy. Adding some zero waste items to your everyday routine might sound like a small change but in the long run, can inspire others to do a little more themselves to live a bit more eco-friendly. Here are three gift ideas from professional organizers for creating less waste:

1. Janine from Tidy Closet recommends Reusable Make up Remover Pads and Eco-friendly beauty bars. Ever wonder what happens to all the disposable cotton rounds or face wipes when you throw them in the garbage? They take several years to degrade and impact our environment. Aside from the environmental impact, face wipes are often formulated with preservatives, which can damage the all-important skin barrier too. Many won't actually cleanse your skin and remove make-up effectively, while others are formulated with ingredients that can be abrasive and too harsh on sensitive skin types. Washable cotton rounds not only save you money but make a substantial reduction in waste. They are just as soft, if not softer than single-use cotton pads, and gentle on your skin. Another impact for less waste can be made with beauty bars that can be used in conjunction with reusable Makeup remover pads. 40% of the plastic comes from product packaging; 80 Billion plastic bottles disposed of around the world each year are from shampoo & conditioner alone. Beauty bars are made for the hair, face/body, and use biodegradable ingredients and compostable packaging so all solid bars leave no trace. They will also use less storage room in your closet and in the shower/bath because they are usually smaller than plastic bottles that are filled with liquids.

2. Professional Organizer and Konmari Consultant Kimberly from Tidy Spruce swears by her new favorite cleaning product L'AVANT Collective :

My new favorite love has been L'AVANT Collective. It may seem odd to give hand soap or dish soap as a gift, but L'AVANT' Collective's products make for a major upgrade to your everyday essentials. L'AVANT Collective is a women-owned small business, and their products include non-toxic, plant and mineral-based candles, hand soap, dish soap, multi-purpose cleaner, cleaning wipes, and eco-friendly refills, that are people, pet, and planet safe. They don't contain any parabens, phosphates, or phthalates, and are cruelty-free.

“Ever wonder what happens to all the disposable cotton rounds when you throw them in the garbage?”

These luxury products work and are safe to use on your marble, granite, and other stone surfaces. Not to mention, the bottles they use are gorgeous and come in environmentally friendly glass and post-consumer resin (PCR). Their Minimalist Collection nixes all the usual branding and gives a more elevated look to your space.

The 100% natural fragrances are absolutely HEAVENLY. I will literally spritz my home and car with the multi-purpose cleaner like its perfume because it smells that good. They just launched a new Limited Edition Winter Fir scent for their products, and I already have my order in. Beyond the holidays, they make for wonderful client gifts, housewarming gifts, and hostess gifts, and the company ships them to your door in recyclable and compostable packaging. “

3. Flavia, the owner of Alter Decorum, suggests a non-materialistic gift alternative this season is an E-book subscription; this is an absolute zero waste gift for a friend who is an avid book reader. In this service, there are hundreds of thousands of bestseller titles and constantly new releases to explore. This is a great alternative for people who might end up reading a book only halfway through, but at least it won’t become dormant on their bookshelf like it always happens with physical unread books. We all know how hard it can be to let go of almost any book, just because we paid money for it or once had really intended to read them. By even reading an entire e-book, the readers won’t ask themselves if that book is worth keeping anymore. Some people prefer to read more than one book at a time, which is great for balancing the pleasure of reading with the required reading for work or school. Either way, an E-book subscription is a zero-waste or clutter for someone who wants to stop spending a lifetime accumulating tons of books while continuing to read more. They cost less than printed books obviously because there’s no printing or packaging cost involved, cannot be lost or damaged, can be stored for offline reading when wi-fi isn’t available. The more good news about these e-books is that all the authors are paid when a book is read through this service, based on agreements. Just like Spotify for your eyes!

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Six Eco-friendly gift ideas for your enterpreneur, mom or zero waste friend

Three eco friendly and zero waste inspired gift ideas