The most powerful step toward a greener future begins with rethinking our habits. By learning to say no to unnecessary items, minimizing our use of disposable products, and actively reducing waste, we can make a significant impact on our planet's health. It all starts with our choices.
Gift giving can lead to a lot of waste. Want to be more sustainable with your gift giving? Consider these alternative gift options:
Experiences to enjoy and remember.
The gift of time, which is always in high demand.
Skill sharing, because knowledge is power.
Donations to help those in need.
Secondhand items for the high quality gift with the low carbon footprint.
Homemade is heartfelt and an opportunity to give new life to old materials.
For gift ideas that fall into these categories, check out the So Kind Registry by the Center for Biological Diversity:
Sustainable Gift Ideas
For a list of local nonprofit organizations to donate to, check pages 24-25 and 33-35 of our Human Services Directory:
Manchester Human Services Directory
For resources on buying secondhand, visit our Repair/Reuse page:
Repair/Reuse
About 1/4 of residential trash is made up of food! And residential food waste makes up 40% of all wasted food in the US!! Check out our Residential Food Waste page for resources on how to reduce food waste at home!
Residential Food Waste
Looking to stop receiving junk mail and save some trees in the process? Check out the United States Postal Service's webpage to learn how!
How to Handle Unwanted Mail
If you wish to stop unwanted delivery of the Hartford Courant newspaper, you can call or e-mail their Customer Service Department to do so at (860) 525-5555 or custserv@courant.com.