I’ve always gone out of my way to recycle, conserve electricity, and vote for government officials who take climate change seriously. But I didn’t understand the true gravity of environmental decline until I watched A Plastic Ocean on Netflix a few years ago. As I immediately purchased reusable water bottles for myself and every member of my family, the way I think about shopping drastically changed.
Guilt about over-indulgent holiday shopping is a growing sentiment. We all get giddy when we find the perfect gift for someone, but consumerism really puts a damper on holiday cheer, especially when you think about how much packaging will be used, how many old tech items will be tossed to make room for new devices, or how many underpaid workers are putting in extra hours to get you that extra-cheap outfit on Black Friday. Read more…
More about Plastic Waste, Sustainability, Mashable Shopping, Culture, and Climate Environment
IMAGE: FINALSTRAW
$24.95
Collapsible reusable straws — See Details
IMAGE: SPRUCEMOUNTAINSOAP
$8
Fun hand soaps — See Details
IMAGE: STASHER
$11.99
Reusable sandwich bags — See Details
IMAGE: GRIN
$14.99
Cornstarch toothbrushes — See Details
IMAGE: FOOD HUGGERS
$12.95
Silicone food huggers — See Details
IMAGE: DECOMPOSITION
$9
An 100% recycled notebook — See Details
IMAGE: JOSEPH JOSEPH
$16
A set of portable silverware — See Details
IMAGE: BURT’S BEES
$3.59
Burt’s Bees lip balm — See Details
IMAGE: CREATIVE GREEN LIFE
$34.99
Reusable grocery bags — See Details
IMAGE: BITE
$30
Tubeless toothpaste bites — See Details
IMAGE: CHIPOLO
$29
An upcycled Bluetooth tracker — See Details
IMAGE: BLAVOR
$39.99
A solar phone charger — See Details
IMAGE: S’WELL
$35
A reusable water bottle — See Details
IMAGE: GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE
$68
Activewear from Girlfriend — See Details
IMAGE: SODASTREAM
$89.99
The SodaStream Fizzi — See Details
IMAGE: MADETRADE
$50
A MadeTrade gift card — See Details
IMAGE: ALLBIRDS
$95
Sneakers from AllBirds — See Details
IMAGE: CLICK & GROW
$99.95
An indoor smart garden — See Details
IMAGE: FOREO
$99
The Foreo Luna Go facial brush — See Details
IMAGE: GOOGLE
$129.98
A Nest smart thermostat — See Details
IMAGE: DEUX MAINS
$175
A fair-trade leather bag — See Details
IMAGE: THE NORTH FACE
$199
The North Face ThermoBall Eco — See Details
IMAGE: BUFFY
$129
The Buffy Cloud comforter — See Details
IMAGE: SOLGAARD
$95
Solgaard Daypack — See Details
IMAGE: MASHABLE
$329
A refurbished Apple Watch — See Details
IMAGE: VITAMIX
$399
The Vitamix FoodCycler — See Details
