lifestyle
Gift ideas
There are many ways to give meaningful
gifts and even some without having to
go out shopping. When it comes to eco
gift giving, purchasing items with value,
purpose and meaning is the foundation
of sustainability. Here are a few ideas:
• The Gift of Charity: In the name of the
gift recipient, donate money to a local
charity, an environmental protection
group, sponsor a child in need or find
out what the gift receiver would like to
support and donate to that cause.
• The Gift of an Experience: If you know
your child, spouse or uncle has always
wanted to try something different then
buy them a gift certificate.
• Plant a tree:The planet could always
do with more trees.
• Edibles and plants: Give the gift of
a garden by making up a pretty bag
with seeds that will turn into plants;
veggies, fruits and sunflowers that
can be grown on little Hong Kong
balconies. Or buy a special plant that
will last and provide some greenery
around the home.
• Homemade treats: Get creative with
cookies, gingerbread men, cakes,
jams, mulled wine mix, special gin
infusion or your own vanilla.
• Physical gifts: Choose things that are
designed to last and won't end up in
the landfill in a month or a year's time.
Buying less, going local or choosing
items made from recycled materials
ensures some level of sustainability.
• Chocolates that don’t contain palm
oil – Green & Blacks, Divine, Booja
Booja or Lindt.
• Plastic free Products – Plastic Free
HK has a host of lovely items. Lush
sell Christmas Gifts and many are
package-free.
• Soaps, Body Lotions, Spa Products
– Check out shops like Live Zero for
eco-friendly options.
• Upcycled products - Candles made
from beeswax, Jewellery made
from wood, yoga mats made from
recycled plastic.
Swapping items – Have you recently
received an unwanted gift, have your
children outgrown a toy they hardly
played with? How about re-homing or
re-gifting unwanted items? You could
either do this yourself or through a
company, such as Mamaswap. Living by
the mantra “one man's trash is another
man's treasure,” second hand objects
such as toys, baby products, children’s
books are collected from the public,
sorted and displayed at an event for
anyone to exchange – using a point
system - hopefully falling into hands of
an owner who will find them useful again.
Mamaswap will be at the Mighty Oaks
International Nursury & Kindergarten
green charity fair on 23 November.
Topping:
Spirulina powder
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a food
processor and process until fully
sticking together
2. Place the mix in a tray and roll flat
3. Cut into squares
4. Coat with spirulina by dipping the top
in the powder.
Serve and enjoy or pop into your
handbag to take with you.
Wrapping the gifts you’ve
Treehouse EC
Going out shopping
If you do need to head to the shops for
gifts, by far the simplest piece of advice
is to take your own reusable shopping
bag with you. This ensures you don’t
come home with a handful of single-use
plastic bags. Pack your own water bottle
(or travel coffee mug) and a snack so
you don’t get caught buying something
unhealthy in single-use plastic to keep
you going.
The Pure Energy Square
(great fuel for your shopping trips)
Makes 25pcs of 30g each
Ingredients:
120g almonds
50g chia seeds
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ginger powder
20g goji berries
40g mesquite powder
360g pitted dates
O
carefully selected
Why not reuse gift bags, boxes,
tissue paper and ribbon kept from last
Christmas or choose a fabric scarf
to wrap your gifts. Brown recyclable
paper adorned with twine or raffia and
tree sprigs make for stunning giftwrap.
Reusable fabric wrapping bags are
great too. If you must buy wrapping
paper, do your best to choose
something recyclable like plain paper
free from metallic foil, velvet, or glitter.
Keep in mind ribbons, bows, and tissue
paper can't be recycled but if you
receive any you can always reuse it.
Other ideas for wrapping
• Use a decorative tea towel that can
be part of the gift and used again
afterwards.
• Use greeting cards received last
year or any other recycled material
Winter 2019
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