All Wrapped Up
According to Use Less Stuff, during the gift giving season, December 24th-May 20th, Americans throw away 25-65 percent more trash than usual-or 25-50 million tons of garbage. What’s more, many wrapping materials are not recyclable because they have a high metal content.
There has to be a better way….right? There is. A former yoga teacher Kathryn Hapke was inspired to find a better way to wrap gifts, so she started Wrapsacks, a business that sells hand-dyed batik cotton gift bags-with an added bonus. Wrapsacks are meant to be regifted. Each bag comes with a tracking number so you can see hoe far your bag has traveled . You can even watch the bag’s journey using Track-a-Sack through Google maps, a great activity for the kids to see where exactly their bag has gone after giving it at a birthday party or the like.
In addition to using the cloth bags, you can recycle old wrapping paper or create your own style of decorative and eco-friendly gift wraps. With a little effort, you package will be as big of a hit as the gift your give with the bag.
They these eco-friendly packaging ideas this gift giving time of year.
• Furshiki: is a type of traditional Japanese wrapping using cloth. Take any square of cloth, a bandana, a scarf, or even a cut-up shirt or pair of old jeans-lay it out in a diamond shape, and center the gift on it. Flip the southern corner of fabric up over the gift, tucking the cloth under if necessary, and bring the north corner over the top and let any extra material hang. Then tie the east and west corners at the top of the gift.
• Decorate a paper bag with stencils or crayons.
• Use an out-of-date map or some sheet music.
• Recycle vintage containers such as cigar, shoe, or even hat boxes.
• Incorporate environmentally friendly items, such as raffia, string, or strips of cotton or silk, in lieu of synthetic ribbon,
• Use natural gift-box fillers, such as leaves, straw, pine needles, or shredded recycled paper scented with a few drops of essential oils. (Source: Yoga Journal 2007)
*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Start an eco-conversation everywhere you go, even if it’s a quick trip to the supermarket.
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