Starting next month, wedding season will be in full swing. For those of us not tying the knot, this means that we’re about to enter the wedding gift bonanza. How do we buy wedding gifts without going broke? Are there any eco friendly wedding gifts we can buy instead?
Boy, is there ever! Just because it’s wedding season doesn’t mean you have to break the bank buying everyone gifts. So, I went on a search for the best eco friendly, frugal, and a bit unusual wedding gifts I could find.
My search criteria? These wedding gifts had to be under $40, and be eco friendly to boot. They could be whimsical, but I mainly wanted to find products that would help a new couple go green and/or save money.
So, here we go!
Green Wedding Gift #1: Reusable Lunch Totes
There are so many wonderful reusable lunch totes out right now that the term “brown bagging it” is quickly becoming passe.
Need options?
Ok.
Courtesy ReusableBags.com
What about these Indian-styled, stainless steel lunch totes from ReusableBags.com? They’re $19.95 each, so you could get a his and hers set for $40.
I think these are super cool. And, you don’t have to worry about any chemicals leaching into the food like you might with plastics. A gift like this would not only help the new couple save money, but it would also help them save the environment.
Fabulous.
Green Wedding Gift #2: Stainless Steel Travel Mugs
If the bride and groom are coffee addicts, then they’ll appreciate a set of Contigo Double Wall Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler
Stainless steel travel mugs will help the couple save money by brewing coffee to go at home, and save the environment when they do want to go out and get a cup of joe. Bye bye disposable cups.
Amazon currently has these for $20 each, and this particular brand has gotten rave reviews from people who’ve used them.
Green Wedding Gift #3: Bamboo Compost Pail
Courtesy Clean Air Gardening
I would have loved to have gotten one of these when I got married. Well, back then I might not have known what to do with it, but I sure would like one now…
If the couple is already green-minded, then getting them a bamboo compost pail would be a really cool, unique gift to help the planet. After all, almost 25% of our landfill waste is made up of food scraps. Composting helps save space, and gives you healthy, nutritious soil for your garden.
What’s not to love here?
Clean Air Gardening has these for $39.99 right now.
Green Wedding Gift #4: Recycled Glass Serving Bowls
Courtesy Viva Terra
Wow, are these nifty are what?
Viva Terra currently has these recycled glass serving bowls for $24-$29.
The artists use recycled glass from soda bottles to make these awesome little serving dishes.
Unique, frugal, and eco friendly. I love it!
Green Wedding Gift #5: Healthy Home Gift Bag
If the wedding couple is moving into their first place, then why not create a healthy home gift bag for them?
I searched on BuyGreen.com and came up with a nifty collection.
You could put together a variety of small things, like a Twist Eco Friendly Kitchen Sponge ($2.69), Epic Dish Soap ($3.79), Epic Orange Cleaner ($9.99), Chico Reusable Shopping Bag ($4.75), Twist Bamboo Cloth ($3.79), and Twist Euro Sponge ($2.20).
Final total for all that? $27.21.
Healthy, frugal, and eco friendly.
Green Wedding Gift #6: Green Living and Frugality Books
What about giving the wedding couple a few books to help them learn how to save money and/or go green?
One great option is The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time [GREEN BK]
You could pair it with another classic, Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying
Go Green, Live Rich lists strategies for going green, but also focuses on how those tips will save money to boot. It’s short, and very easy to read.
Go Green, Live Rich is currently selling at Amazon for $10.17.
You could put both of these in a super cool reusable shopping tote and be good to go!
Green Wedding Gift #7: Bodum French Press
French Press
I love my french press. It’s tiny, it’s eco-friendly, and it takes up zero counter space.
The french press makes a great gift because it’s a no-energy way to make coffee. And in my opinion, you get a tastier cup with a french press anyway.
Amazon is currently selling the Bodum 4 cup French Press for $27.95.
You could pair this with a bag of fair trade organic coffee and still stay under our target of $40.
Last Word…
I’ve got my own share of weddings to attend this spring and summer, and I’m going to be thinking green when I go out looking for gifts.
Do you have any green wedding gift ideas you’d like to throw out there?
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Mmm, yes – as one who is on the list of “got married and DON’T want stuff!” my husband (as of 1 month and 1 day ago!) and I have had to deflect the inevitable questions and ended up registering at AlternativeGiftRegistry.org – if only everything were so simple! Alas, since we’re living in a 1 bedroom and furnished place, we really don’t need anything (unless we can register with our student loan companies? or if there’s a way to register with the dealership to pay off the truck..) So, yeah, our wish list isn’t stellar – gift cards and flight vouchers are on the list – but otherwise it seemed inappropriate to flat out ask for *ahem* “fixing” funds …when all of our friends & family really want us to have kids. Not so much on the agenda!
Some great ideas here. What about a charger and some rechargeable batteries? Or a netflix subscription?