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When you first start getting into the zero waste movement, it can feel a bit counterintuitive to be buying more stuff in the name of ultimately using

less

stuff.

But that’s a misunderstanding of the end goal. Yes, it’s a good idea to forego non-essential storage and packaging, but it’s not really practical to, say, buy a bunch of tomatoes at the store without a bag or store half an avocado in the fridge unwrapped. Packaging exists in many iterations because it’s practical and helps food keep for longer, and its convenience makes it possible for busy, stressed out human beings to live their lives with just a little bit less chaos.

So choosing sustainable, user-friendly packaging and storage is not only, in many cases, a necessity, it allows more people to opt in to a lifestyle that can often feel tedious and insurmountably difficult.

I have been grateful to partner with

EarthHero

this year because doing so has helped me work through some of these difficulties and questions myself. I grew up in a household that advocated for recycling but didn’t really consider that there were alternatives to single use plastic. So it’s a learning curve to reach for the sustainable or renewable thing instead of the plastic bag and the pre-packaged food.

EarthHero has cultivated a strong educational and accessibility component through their marketplace of ethical, sustainable, and zero waste goods

, and this Holiday season they’re offering a number of Gift Boxes that can function as starter kits for anyone looking to build out their zero waste supplies or other sustainable goods…

EarthHero provided a complimentary, custom version of their

Small Zero Waste Gift Box

, which retails for $50 (they sent items they had more stock in so that they wouldn’t sell out of the intended products).

What’s in The Box

Reusable grocery bags, a bamboo on-the-go utensil kit, versatile food storage, and more. The gift box offered on the site includes a reusable silicone Stasher Bag, reusable straw and brush, and bamboo toothbrushes. These are little things that make a big impact when you incorporate them into your life. And they’re really practical, which means your friend or *cough cough* mom who isn’t really “into gifts” could actually experience the thrill that comes with receiving something meaningful and useful. And they’re totally gender neutral, as well.

If you’re not looking for Zero Waste kits this season, EarthHero has also put together New Baby, New Home, and Spa kits full of eco-friendly and ethical goods.

You can shop all kits here

The Impacts of Holiday Shopping

I am strongly against shaming anyone for the lifestyle decisions they make out of a sense of either necessity or flourishing. But the numbers around Holiday shopping are staggering. The costs to actually produce highly desirable gift items like electronics and clothing have been frequently discussed on this blog, but even in terms of shipping and packaging – the

USPS estimates that they’ll ship 900 million packages

between Thanksgiving and the New Year – we are pushing resources and waste management to the brink while simultaneously contributing to climate change through demand for faster and faster shipping times.

One way we can reduce this, of course, is by buying less. But we can also choose slower shipping methods, ask that multiple items be shipped in one package, and advocate for companies to buy carbon offsets.

EarthHero uses plastic free packaging and carbon neutral shipping practices through a partnership with the Carbon Fund.

Learn more here

Final Thoughts

In a social and political environment that is often quick to judge and slow to forgive the iniquities of ethical lifestyles that haven’t yet achieved perfection, I think it’s really important that we intentionally advocate

every single day

for inclusion and accessibility. Whether you’re reaching out to a friend, buying for a parent, or splurging (just a little) on yourself, choose gifts that celebrate what we can do together, what we owe to each other, and the joy we can foster through kind and accountable relationships. Products are not the problem. It’s how we choose to use them.