Franz Lang

Sustainable gift-giving is on the rise.

From digital subscriptions to gifting experiences rather than stuff, buying secondhand, and more, changing how you gift can reduce waste and help the planet.

In 2021, the world saw the biggest increase in ship emissions in over a decade (along with endangered whales getting struck by congested cargo ships.) In the US alone, returned packages will generate around 15 million tons of carbon pollution (equivalent to 3.2 million cars driven on the road for one year). And then there are the environmental harms caused by the gifts themselves, which could include polluting fast fashion items, plastic toys made from fossil fuels, or sweet treats that are driving deforestation.

But it is possible to show your loved ones you care while also caring for our collective home. We asked TED speakers to share planet-friendly gift recommendations, and here are 16 ideas for more sustainable gift-giving:

1. Digital subscriptions for the mind, body and soul

I love the ritual of presents, and I’ve found that digital subscriptions are great gifts. Here are three:

1) An annual gift subscription to Duolingo (Plus or Family), because learning another language is a beautiful gift to ourselves and to the world. It creates stronger bonds and connects with other cultures.

2) An annual subscription to Body Groove. During the pandemic, I learned that dancing at home does wonders, physically and mentally. We need to keep strong!

3) An annual subscription to a magazine that will introduce you to great writing and emerging voices. Because in an age marked by existential struggles — climate, COVID, inequality — we need fiction and non-fiction. We need the power of stories to help us expand our imaginations and transcend our everyday lives.
— Monica Araya (TED Talk: How cities are detoxing transportation)

2. Sustainable alternatives to frequently purchased products

Some of the most impactful gifts are those that can replace “sleepwalk consumption” products — the things we buy repeatedly without much thought. Luckily, many of these products can be replaced with sustainable alternatives, and many companies have made delightful, whimsical and giftable versions of them. By giving a beautiful sleepwalking product as a gift, you could change one person’s — or one family’s — impact over the rest of their lives. Here are a few ideas: 100 percent Slave-Free Chocolate, “Give” Holiday Edition Toilet Paper, Oatly Chocolate Milk, Brew Dog Beer Advent Calendar, Bite Toothpaste or Dirty Labs Laundry.
— Mariana Prieto (TED Talk: Why animals need design)

3. Tree saplings

If you live in the UK, why not give your loved one a pack of 105 tree saplings to plant, thereby helping save the planet by removing more carbon dioxide from the air and providing valuable new habitats? They can be obtained from The Woodland Trust — and the best thing is that they’re free. I helped plant 210 saplings last week! And if you don’t live in the UK, there may be a similar scheme where you are, but even if there isn’t, give someone some trees anyway.
— Ian Firth (TED Talk: Bridges should be beautiful)

4. Outdoor gear

Being that change is certain but not predictable, I’ll suggest a gift from BioLite, which offers great products for outdoor adventures and off-the-grid and emergency energy. I love Biolite’s awesome commitment to serving both campers and people who still lack access to reliable power, and the company has also won the prestigious 2021 National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. I’m getting my pal who has frequent outages an Alpen Glow 500, so she can charge her devices with it too.
— Wendy Brawer (TED Talk: How green is my city?)

5. A parks pass

My planet-friendly gift recommendation for any Americans on your list is an annual pass to the US National Parks. It’s a great gift, because what could be more fun than spending time outdoors with your loved ones learning about the beautiful planet we live on? The money also goes towards the National Parks Service, which has conservation as an essential part of its mission (and has since its founding in 1916).
— Zoe Pierrat (TED-Ed Lesson: Earth’s mysterious red glow, explained)

6. Refurbished antiques

My favorite climate-friendly gifts are refurbished antiques. It’s a wonderful way to repurpose a once-functional item from the past into a beautiful gift. I am also an environmental science teacher, so every year I create a bulletin board that suggests other green holiday ideas to my students because there are so many ways to offset your carbon footprint.
— Kim Preshoff (TED-Ed Lesson: What’s a smartphone made of?)

7. A mushroom garden

My sustainable gift recommendation is a mushroom grow cube that allows you to easily grow a delicious, sustainable food source from your kitchen, basement, bathroom — wherever is convenient for you. It’s fun to watch them grow (quicker than you would expect!) with very little effort, and they come in several mushroom varieties. You can get them from a variety of sources online, but to make the gift more sustainable, you can look into a local mushroom grower online or get them in person at your local farmers’ markets. (For example, here is a local mushroom grower near me in Maryland.)
— Noah Bressman (TED-Ed Lesson: The fish that walk on land)

8. A giant of a plant

Most of us have enough stuff, so why not give a gift that will create a legacy? While the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive won’t sell you their certified champion Giant Sequoia seedlings, they will plant one for you — or even an entire forest. What better gift can you give than one that will be around for thousands of years?
— Camille Seaman (TED Talk: Connection and purpose: tales of polar photographer)

9. A vegan dessert

The Brave Robot cake mix uses a non-animal whey protein that replaces the equivalent of three eggs! It produces an animal-free yellow cake that doesn’t use aquafaba, flax seeds or other traditional egg replacements that can mess with flavor or texture. The protein is made by reprogramming microflora to produce the same whey found in cow milk — it’s cellular agriculture in action!
— Isha Datar (TED Talk: How we could eat real meat without harming animals)

10. A map of your town or city

Who doesn’t love a good map? Humans have been using them ever since our ancestors started drawing on cave walls. My planet-friendly gift recommendation is a map of your city or town. If you want, circle your favorite places that are accessible on foot, bicycle, bus and metro, such as parks, vistas, buildings and shops. You could give it in either digital or paper form — and bonus points if you can find an old map at an auction site or local map store and get it framed. Maps can help people rediscover the amazing diversity of their natural and built environment, support local business and help keep everyone’s footprint local.

— Robert Muggah (TED Talk: The biggest risks facing cities — and some solutions)

11. Support a local theater or bookstore

While we fight climate change, we can still do the things that are most important, like hugging grandmothers, meeting friends and celebrating holidays. A ticket to a local theater might be one of the most climate-friendly gifts, and it strengthens the community.

Here in Iceland, a book has been the most popular Christmas gift for the last century. We have what is called jólabókaflóð, or the Christmas book flood. Most books are published in November and December to become Christmas gifts, and for most people, there is no holiday without going to bed with a new book.

So I would recommend giving a book, perhaps by a local author from a local bookstore. The book can last decades, and it never becomes obsolete. You can pass it on; it is not run by evil algorithms; does not monitor your behavior; give you likes; or collect your data in energy-intensive data farms. A good book lets you dive into other people’s minds — and at best, it can change your life.
— Andri Snær Magnason (TED Talk: On time and water)

12. Wildflower seeds

Native wildflower seeds make a wonderful gift. As they bloom, they become the foundation of local ecosystems for pollinators and birds, while improving soil health and preventing erosion. They won’t break your bank, and your recipient will smile every time they see them.
— Jeff Kirschner (TED Talk: This app makes it fun to pick up litter)

13. Zero-carbon fashion

We know the fashion industry has disproportionately negative impacts on the environment — it is responsible for 20 percent of our water pollution, 10 percent of carbon emissions, and every time we wash synthetic fibers, we are contributing to microplastic pollution. That’s why I created a company that produces clothing made by hand with only three ingredients — sun, plants and mountain water — and without using any electricity, chemicals, plastics or fossil fuels. Another clothing and textile company that’s aiming to do things more sustainably is Rough Linen. They create beautiful linen products from natural fibers, including sumptuous bathrobes, PJs, aprons, tea towels and so much more, and all products are handmade in the US. With each gift, you can remind your cherished giftee that our consumer choices can impact industries.
— Angel Chang (TED Talk: How ancient textiles can help the future)

14. A local experience

Personally, I try to move away from purchased items for my giftees, as consumerism results in significant carbon emissions and awe-worthy amounts of waste. Instead, I try to spend money on shared local experiences that bring joy and create shared memories. These can be regionally specific and vary considerably in price; however, the plentiful availability of virtual workshops does make this a highly accessible gift idea. In the past, my giftees and I have learned the art of falconry as well as how to scuba dive, race sled dogs, zip line, blow glass, metalsmith, cook pasta, taste whiskey, bead jewelry and sew. Last but not least, we’ve visited baby goats and learned to make cheese and garden!
— Anne Madden (TED Talk: Meet the microscopic life in your home — and on your face)

15. A day out in nature

Give the gift of learning to reconnect with nature, which is at the heart of solving our environmental crisis. Create a homemade “nature experience gift card” to suit your loved ones’ interests — creating a personalized day out in nature that’s organized by you. Depending on where you live and what you enjoy doing with them, it could be a mountain hike, a walk on a quiet beach, a visit to a botanic garden, or a picnic in a local park. While you are there, invite them to sit quietly; observe the sounds, smells and feel of the surroundings and the visual beauty; and simply notice what happens.
— Carol Farbotko (TED-Ed Lesson: Where will you be able to live in 20 years?)

16. A workshop or course

How about giving a gift that gives back? I’m thinking of a gift that can build someone’s skills to pursue a life of purpose and dignity. These resources already exist in us today, but we don’t utilize them enough. Why not gift someone a workshop or course that enhances their skills so they can be confident, empowered and encouraged? I like to gift a basic survival skills course that will teach them to deal better when in crisis. Your giftee will thank you for it!
— Rumaitha Al Busaidi (TED Talk: Women and girls, you are part of the climate solution)

Can having less stuff, in less room, lead to more happiness? Writer and designer Graham Hill lays out three rules for editing your life:

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This piece was adapted for TED-Ed from this Ideas article.

Thousands of years ago, the Maya people of Central America believed that chocolate was the food of the gods.

The Maya — who helped pioneer cultivation of the cocoa tree, along with the Toltec and Aztec peoples — even used cocoa beans as a form of currency.

Fast forward to today, and chocolate is considered less of a rarity and more of an anytime treat. “Somehow the ancients understood that chocolate was special,” says owner and CEO of Seattle Chocolate Company Jean Thompson in her TEDxBellevueWomen Talk. “Today, chocolate is the inexpensive darling of the candy aisle.”

Worldwide people consume over 7 million tons of chocolate each year, with North America and Europe leading the way. In the US, the average person consumes 12 pounds (5.5 kilograms) of the sweet per year, while the British, Germans and Swiss clock in at over 17 pounds (8 kilograms).

But while chocolate brings so many people so much pleasure, its widespread availability comes at a high price. Growing and harvesting cocoa harms the environment, farmers and farm workers — and as global temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, climate change will dramatically reduce the land where cocoa can be grown and hurt those who rely on it.

The hunger for chocolate and the desire to grow more cacao are helping drive climate change — and climate change is hurting cacao

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which come from the pods of the Theobroma cacao, a tree that requires extremely specific climatic conditions to thrive. Africa is the leading  producer of cocoa, followed by South America and Asia. In fact, all chocolate is grown in a narrow band within 20 degrees north and south of the equator. This also means the land where cacao trees can flourish is limited.

Our ravenous demand for chocolate is driving people worldwide to clear forests for cacao farmland. In the Côte d’Ivoire, for example, more than 80 percent of the country’s forested areas have vanished between 1960 and 2010.

With suitable farmland dwindling and demand for chocolate projected to rise two to five percent each year, cacao plantations are also encroaching on protected lands. In the Côte d’Ivoire, an investigation by the environmental nonprofit Mighty Earth found that almost half of Mont Peko and Marahoue national parks were lost to cocoa plantations since 2000. In Indonesia, 1.7 million acres of forest — home to elephants and critically endangered orangutan, rhino and tiger populations — were cleared for cocoa plantations between 1988 and 2007. In Peru, which saw a five-fold increase in cocoa production between 1990 and 2013, satellite images revealed that thousands of acres of Amazon rainforest were cleared for cocoa trees.

What’s more, this deforestation is helping drive climate change, which in turn is hurting cocoa production. Tropical rainforests have some of the highest carbon storage capabilities of any ecosystem on Earth, so they release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere when they’re cut down. “A single dark chocolate bar made with cocoa from deforestation produces the same amount of carbon pollution as driving 4.9 miles in a car — an outsized impact for a small afternoon treat,” according to the Mighty Earth report.

As carbon emissions continue to rise, so will global temperatures and the incidence of extreme weather events. That’s more bad news for cocoa, which is highly sensitive to climate changes. According to current projections, the cocoa belt could see a 3.8°F (2.1°C) increase in temperature by 2050, and hotter temperatures and drier conditions will severely reduce cocoa yields.

During the 2015–16 season in Ghana, for example, the Harmattan winds that blow across Ghana from the Sahara Desert between late November and mid-March came early. The drying winds and low rainfall resulted in a poor harvest and withered cacao pods — a preview of how cocoa will respond to a drier, hotter world.

Other major threats to cacao trees are pests and diseases, which already account for 30 to 40 percent in annual cocoa losses. In 2018, for instance, the Côte d’Ivoire had to destroy 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres) of cocoa trees to stop the spread of swollen-shoot virus, an infection that can decrease yields by up to 70 percent and kill a tree within two to three years. Scientists predict that climate change-related weather patterns could increase the incidence of pests and diseases and further threaten cocoa harvests — and the people who depend on it.

The average cocoa farmer earns $.50-$1.25 USD per day, keeping them impoverished and fueling child labor

While the chocolate industry is worth more than $100 billion dollars (and growing), more than 80 percent of cocoa comes from 7 to 8 million small family farms who can barely afford basic necessities. “Smallholder cocoa farmers also have virtually no control over global market prices and are at the mercy of price volatility,” according to the Fairtrade Foundation. “Inequality in the cocoa chain means farmers are trapped in extreme poverty and can’t afford to invest in more progressive farming methods.”

Cocoa farmers in the Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana — thought to be responsible for about 60 percent of the world’s cocoa — earn only 3 percent to 6 percent of a chocolate bar’s retail value. That puts their average income between $0.50–$1.25 USD per day — well below the international poverty line, or less than $1.90 per day.

And even though the amount of farmable land continues to shrink and farmers’ costs have risen, their incomes have stayed the same. In fact, cocoa farmers in the West African cocoa belt are poorer now than they were in the 1970s and 80s. “Seventy-five percent of the people in the Côte d’Ivoire rely on chocolate, or cacao, for their livelihood,” Thompson explains. “With today’s chocolate prices, we ensure that they will remain poor forever.”

These financial pressures have led to abusive labor practices. “Child trafficking generally occurs when planters are searching for cheaper sources of labor for replanting,” writes Michael E. Odijie, a research associate at the University of Cambridge, in The Conversation. “The number of child laborers in the Ivorian cocoa industry increased by almost 400,000 between 2008 and 2013.”

The major chocolate brands have pledged to eliminate child labor and slavery in their supply chains, but in 2019, The Washington Post reported that Hershey, Mars and Nestlé couldn’t guarantee their chocolates were produced without child labor. In fact, The US Department of Labor estimates that 1.48 million children are still “engaged in hazardous work” in Ghana and the Côte d’Ivoire. Reports from the University of Chicago research group NORC show that child labor has increased over the past decade despite companies’ pledges. As a result, many children in cocoa communities are working on farms instead of going to school because their families depend on their income.

We consumers have the power to promote industry change by increasing the demand for ethically-produced chocolate

Chocolate lovers have the purchasing power to push the industry to change, and their first step should be to take a critical look at companies’ labor and sourcing practices. “Capitalism depends on the demand and supply of a product in the food industry,” said Alastair Gower, founder of artisan chocolate maker Chocolate Tree, in a TEDxGlasgowCaledonianUniversity Talk.

In 2018, for example, US-based Mars Wrigley committed $1 billion to funding farming communities and protecting forests over a 10-year period. Similarly, Hershey Co. established Cocoa For Good, a program that aims to eliminate child labor and sustainably source their supplies. However, West African cocoa producers have accused the same companies of using unethical buying practices to avoid paying premiums that would boost farmers’ incomes, keeping farmers in poverty and perpetuating the cycle of child labor.

In addition to buying from chocolate companies that pay cocoa growers living wages, consumers can also protect farmers and their livelihoods by supporting companies that source their beans from sustainable farms. One promising method is agroforestry, or growing cocoa crops under a forest canopy rather than in large plantations of exclusively cacao trees. In agroforestry, cacao is planted amongst other rainforest trees, which provides them with shade, protects them from wind and soil erosion and allows for cultivation without deforestation.

“Cacao trees cultivated in this approach appear less vulnerable to pests, and the soil better retains its ability to support cacao over the long term,” according to the US NOAA. “[Agroforestry] offers one more advantage: Carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere when forests are cleared isn’t. It remains stored in the trees.” A 2009 study found that cocoa agroforests in southern Cameroon stored an average of 243 metric tons of carbon per hectare (2.5. acres).

Existing farmland can also be rehabilitated by improving soil health and replacing older trees with new seedlings — but these aren’t silver bullet solutions. “On some farms, even with rehabilitation, renovation and shade trees, cocoa’s days are numbered,” writes University of Edinburgh carbon management professor Dave Reay in the book Climate-Smart Food. “In these drier, already-marginal cocoa areas, many smallholders now grow food crops, such as maize and vegetables, in rotation with their cocoa to supplement incomes.”

But it’s important that environmental initiatives shouldn’t come at the cost of farmers’ livelihoods. For example, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million cocoa farmers live and work in protected forests in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). Because new forestry policies that aim to protect these forests will likely result in the forced evictions of thousands of farmers and their families, who are left without shelter, food or education, HRW recommends compensating farmers for lost property and crops and assisting them in finding new occupations.

The next time you’re in the mood for chocolate, here are some tips to help you satisfy your sweet tooth while also looking out for farmers and the planet:

Don’t stop buying chocolate. Millions of people depend on cocoa farming to earn a living, and giving up chocolate will hurt them.

Shop smarter. Look for chocolate that is independently certified by the Rainforest Alliance, UTZ or Fairtrade, groups which monitor environmental and labor conditions. By changing your purchasing habits, you’ll also signal to companies that consumers want ethically-produced chocolate.

Get used to paying more for chocolate and eating less. Ethically produced chocolate is more expensive, so you’ll need to change how you view chocolate. Instead of viewing it as a cheap, plentiful commodity, think of it more like a good coffee or wine — something that’s worth paying a little extra for.

Avoid waste. In the UK alone, nearly 20,000 tons (18,000 metric tons) of chocolate and sweets are discarded each year by households, resulting in an estimated 90,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to deforestation.

Do your homework. Check chocolate company websites to see if they list their supply chains — but don’t take their PR and press releases at their word. Websites like The Good Shopping guide, Ethical Consumer and Shop ethical! can help you dig deeper.

“It’s going to take newfound and widespread respect, understanding and appreciation of chocolate to elevate cacao and give its farmers the sustainable and prosperous future that they deserve,” says Thompson. And it can all start with the chocolate that we buy.

Watch Jean Thompson’s TEDxBellevueWomen Talk here:

Watch Alastair Gower’s TEDxGlasgowCaledonianUniversity Talk here: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gulnaz Khan is the Climate Editor at TED. Find her @gulnazkhan

This piece was adapted for TED-Ed from this Ideas article.

Eugenia Mello

It doesn’t require a total overhaul of your life, but following a few simple steps can help you start consuming less, says Lucía González Schuett.

A few years ago, Lucía González Schuett embarked on a “personal rollercoaster journey,” as she puts it in a TEDxHHL Talk. And it all started when she looked at something that most of us have: a junk drawer.

She was disturbed by what she found — most of the things there were broken, incomplete or imperfect, but she had felt compelled to hold onto them. She questioned every item, asking questions like:

“Do I really need this? Does it add value? Is it worth the space that it takes up or the care it requires?”

And she made a radical decision: She vowed to go for a year without buying anything except for food.

Around the same time, she was going through a professional transition. She’d made a career in fast fashion, where her salary was partly based on commission — the more she could get people to spend, the more she earned. One of her responsibilities was to rotate the store’s contents so the merchandise would appear new to shoppers and they’d discover something they overlooked on a previous trip.

In 2018, González Schuett left the industry to go to business school and she chose to make it her no-buying year (which she discusses in a TEDxHECParis talk). Her experiences caused her to rethink consumption — on a personal and a societal level — and become aware of the invasive, ongoing pressures to acquire new stuff.

“The app I use to measure my performance when I go jogging is trying to tell me when it’s time for me to throw away the sneakers I’m wearing and buy a new pair,” says González Schuett, who is currently based in London. “The pillow I sleep on I recently found out has an expiration date.” She adds, “We collectively need to pause for a moment and wonder: Are we losing — or at least outsourcing — our very basic common sense to decide our needs by ourselves when it comes to consumption?”

It’s not realistic or feasible for most people to swear off shopping as she once did, and González Schuett gets that. She says, “It is possible for us to rethink our day-to-day behavior towards consumption, exercise the ability to appreciate things again, and eliminate that link between easy access and taking things for granted.”

She urges people to engage in what she calls a “scary yet extremely insightful exercise”: “getting over the want and becoming honest about the need.” In other words, she invites us to take an honest look at the things we want and we need and question whether we actually do.

There are many good reasons to regain control of your consumption. González Schuett suggests, “Maybe it’s for the environment, for the sustainability of future generations, for your personal finances, or for the sake of your peace of mind.”

To help you take back control, González Schuett shares these tips:

1. Let yourself run out of something before you re-buy or re-order. “Spend some time without it; in other words, try to miss it,” says González Schuett. “Because there’s so much to be learned from missing things. Plus, you’ll exponentially increase your short-term happiness once you get it again.”

2. Keep an item in your online shopping cart for a few days — or weeks — before buying it. You’ll reduce your chance of regretting an impulsive purchase when you find something better later, or realize you don’t actually need it at all.

3. Instead of immediately replacing something that’s broken, try fixing it first. It’s not always cheaper to buy something new, and you can support a local business or repair cafe by visiting them. You can also teach yourself some new skills. In her no-buying year, González Schuett learned to sew on replacement buttons, and she even watched a YouTube video to figure out how to repair her washing machine.

4. When you do buy, consider second-hand. By purchasing something that’s pre-owned, you’ll keep from adding to the sum total of things in circulation — since the thing you’ll buy is already out in the world — and you’ll also save money. When it comes to furniture, she points out that for people who live in cities, “we’re all moving around so frequently that second-hand items are more often than not hardly ever been used.”

5. Choose quality over quantity, especially when it comes to fashion. Try to pick things that are made to last, and when you are done, consider selling, donating or swapping them, instead of throwing them away.

6. Share what you have, and find others who will. Rather than buying a tool or gadget for a one-off project, “knock on your neighbor’s door when you need a screwdriver,” recommends González Schuett. And while you’re there, let them know what you have to lend, whether it’s a bike pump, snow blower or sewing machine. These relationships can benefit both of you. She says, “What a burden for both of you to each own both things and how enriching to go back to knowing your neighbors.”

7. Shift your mindset about stuff. As González Schuett puts it, “Consider yourself a custodian of things, rather than an owner.” When you think about it, you’ll realize that there are ways to enjoy things without owing them — take the library, for example.

She adds, “Ultimately, we know it isn’t the junk in our drawers that is going to make us happy but having the resources, the space and the time to dedicate to the things that truly matter.”

Watch her TEDxHHL talk:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lucía González Schuett is head of retail projects at the Vestiare Collective, a global marketplace for pre-owned luxury and designer fashion.

This post was originally published on TED Ideas. It’s part of the “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.