Over the past couple of years, many of us have shifted our focus to a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle. It starts with small changes, like recycling more, using reusable shopping bags, and switching to LED light bulbs. A lot of us also began making more environmentally friendly choices when buying technology or home appliances by choosing Energy STAR certified options or sustainably made products that help save energy, money, and the earth.
While the holidays tend to generate more waste, you can keep your sustainability trend on track during the festive season by choosing eco-friendly gifts everyone will love. Read about a few green gift choices for yourself or anyone on your list who wants to go greener this year, then enter the contest and you might win some of these items.
Climate-friendlier holiday gift ideas
Whether you’re almost finished holiday shopping or you’re just getting started, take a look at these five categories with products that are either sustainably made or will help you in your quest to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Smarter, more sustainable gifts for everyone
From gifts that help save on electricity to growing their own fruit and vegetables, there are quite a few smart home devices for everyone on your gift list.
Smart gardening with Click and Grow
Living small is one way to make less of an impact on the globe. The only downside to living withs a smaller footprint is the lack of space for things like gardens and plants. With a Click and Grow Smart Indoor Garden, your gift recipient won’t need an outdoor garden. They can grow strawberries, basil, red kale or fruit and veggie mix right on a bookshelf.
Click and Grow has built-in sensors and Smart Soil to monitor every part of the life cycle of your plant. From seed to seedling to your plate, this smart garden lets you set it up and simply enjoy watching your plants grow.
Smart plugs help reduce electricity use
A smart plug is a plug that fits into any electric outlet and connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Once it’s plugged in you can add any of your small appliances, lights, or other devices to the plug and control them via an app. You can choose indoor smart plugs like the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Lite or outdoor smart plugs like the TP-Link KP400 Smart Outdoor Plug.
Smart plugs are a thoughtful sustainable gift for an eco-friendly friend or family member. They will be able to turn any appliance or device on and off on a schedule. It also gives them control of that device when they aren’t home, so if they are worried they forgot to unplug a flat iron or coffee maker, they can use the app to turn it off instead of driving home.
Smart devices save time, energy, and money
A smart display is a great gift if you’re looking for something that will improve the functionality of any home. They help individuals and families save money by controlling all of their smart home devices in one location. You can set your smart lights on a schedule and sync them with other devices like thermostats so they automatically turn off when you’re not home. The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (shown above) remembers what temperatures you like, learns your schedule, and programs itself to conserve energy use.
There are a few smart display options including Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show 5. Google Nest Hub works with Google Assistant and will stream video, turn on your lights, lock your doors, and even monitor your outdoor cameras. Amazon Echo Show 5 connects to the Alexa voice assistant. You can ask her to stream music, put on your favourite TV show, or control your smart home devices. One of the best parts of having a smart display is how you can use it to keep in touch without needing to travel. Instead of adding to the carbon emissions created by flying, you can make video calls to anyone, even if they are halfway around the world.
Go greener in the kitchen
A great way to help the environment at home is to be eco-smarter in the kitchen. Here are a few sustainable gifts that help you do that.
Vitamix Powered Food Waste Recycler
Throwing food waste in your trash is very damaging to the environment. Not only will it not decompose properly, but it also creates methane, a greenhouse gas that’s very damaging to the environment. If you’re choosing a gift for someone who is already dedicated to composting or for someone who wouldlike to compost more, the Vitamix Powered Food Waste Recycler will be a nice addition to their kitchen. It has a 2-litre capacity and can convert your food waste and scraps into fertilizer that’s ready to use in your garden.
LARQ PureVis Self-cleaning Water Bottle
We can all keep our landfills and oceans free from excess plastics by making use of stainless steel water bottles. The LARQ PureVis makes it easy to stay green and hydrated, and it can clean itself too. It has a built-in UV-C LED light that purifies the water whenever you’d like it to, and there is a self-cleaning function that turns on every 2 hours to keep your bottle fresh and clean. You can choose a variety of colours and sizes for everyone on your gift list.
Eco-friendly electronic transportation
Electric scooters and electric bikes are so fun to ride you’ll forget you’re helping the environment when you use one. Here are two sustainable gift choices for someone who loves to blaze a trail outside.
Segway Ninebot G30P MAX Adult Electric Scooter
The Ninebot by Segway is a speedy scooter that runs on electricity. A single battery charge will last up to 65km, so you can use it to commute to work or grab a few groceries at the store. With 10″ pneumatic tires, you can cruise over all types of terrain. You’ll never have to slow your roll on this scooter because it can reach top speeds of up to 30 km/hr.
If you’d like to see a comparison of the Ninebot with a few other scooters, take a look at Andy’s article on all three. You can also check out the E-transportation page and the E-transportation buying guide on the Best Buy blog.
SWFT Zip Fat Tire Electric City Bike
Just because you choose eco-friendly transportation doesn’t mean you can’t have a blast while getting from point A to point B. The SWFT ZIP Electric Bike has rugged fat tires to take you everywhere in style. You’ll have battery life to spare because a single charge gives you up to 59.5km of time on the bike, and you can reach top speeds of up to 31.8km/hr.
An eco-conscious computer for the techie on your list
If you have someone on your gift list who would love a computer but you’re concerned about the plastics used to create it, you’re going to love the latest Acer laptop.
Acer Aspire Vero 15.6″ Laptop
The Acer Aspire Vero is an eco-friendly computer made from 30% PCR plastic to reduce the environmental impact of harmful CO2 emissions. It also has an OceanGlass touchpad made of ocean-bound plastics and uses VersoSense software for more energy saving.
While it’s designed to be friendlier to the environment, the Acer Aspire Vero is also a speedy laptop designed for work or play. It has a 10-core 12th gen Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB solid-state drive for all of your storage needs. The large 15.6-inch screen with 1080p Full HD resolution is the perfect portable screen for watching your favourite videos.
Accessories to help you go greener
Looking for a new laptop bag or iPad case? There are quite a few different tech accessories you can choose as gifts that are sustainably made from bioplastics, biodegradable materials, or PVC-fabric.
Tucano Biodegradable iPad Case
Using an iPad or tablet for notes or as a portable computer is a great way to save on paper waste. To keep their iPad safe, why not give them the gift of a Tucano Biodegradable folio case? It keeps the iPad safe from bumps, drops, and scratches but has a sustainable style with 100% biodegradable construction, a bioplastic interior, and a wood pulp exterior.
Targus Balance EcoSmart Backpack
The Targus Balance EcoSmart Backpack is a stylish bag made from PVC-free fabric that’s woven from recycled water bottles. It’s weather-resistant, has recyclable zipper pulls, and will protect your laptop and other devices when you’re on the go. It also has an adjustable design that evenly distributes the load in your bag so you don’t have a sore back from heavy books and other gear.
PKG STUFF Recycled Laptop Sleeve
When they want a lightweight, eco-friendly way to take their laptop on the go, the PKG STUFF Recycled Laptop Sleeve is the perfect gift. It’s made from recycled water bottles, is water-resistant so it can stand up to all types of weather, and has a laptop compartment with padded walls to protect against drops or bumps.
Rechargeable batteries keep you charged without creating excess waste
Rechargeable batteries are a more environmentally friendly way to keep all of your devices, toys, and tech charged and ready to play.
Energizer Rechargeable Batteries and Battery Charger
Energizer rechargeable batteries are a great option for everything from remote control toys to handheld video games or battery-powered smart devices. You can choose AAA, AA, and NIMH AA-2 rechargeable batteries for every type of device. To keep them charged there’s the Energizer Recharge Value Charger or the Energizer Pro Charger. The Energizer Pro includes 4 AA batteries and charges in 3 hours. The Energizer Maxi also comes with 4 AA Ni-MH batteries and can charge two or four batteries at one time.
Recycle your old tech and batteries at Best Buy
Choosing sustainable gift options is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and keep your focus on going green. There are also a few other ways you can reduce waste from the holidays this year. If you’re holding onto old electronics or empty batteries, consider recycling them at your local Best Buy store. You’re always welcome to bring your tech waste in for recycling, even if you didn’t purchase it at Best Buy.
There are also Best Buy trade-in promotions that happen throughout the year. You can visit BestBuy.ca for more details on what products qualify for trade-in and what types of old tech are accepted for electronic recycling at a store near you.
Creating a greener world, one step at a time
Best Buy has a great selection of sustainable gift choices for everyone on your gift list. For the holidays, birthdays, and beyond, you can shop in store or online to find the perfect gift for someone special. Some of the many sustainable choices are included in a prize bundle that you can enter to win in this contest. Here are the details:
How to enter
Entering this contest is easy and you can enter in two different ways:
- In a comment below, tell us what eco-friendly device or green tech program at Best Buy discussed in this article are you interested in the most and why.
- For up to two (2) additional entries, create a public post on a social media channel (one entry per channel!) sharing with your friends and followers that you are entering a Best Buy Blog contest for a chance to win a green lifestyle prize pack; include the hashtag #BestBuyGreenLifestylecontest, so we can find your post, and include one of the pictures showing on this article. Then return here and tell us in a comment below on which channel you posted it and the name of your channel (since many people use pseudonyms) so that we can check and verify your entry. You can use any social media channel (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.), but the post must be public so we can verify it is there.
What you can win
At the end of this contest, we will randomly draw one winner from all eligible entries to receive a sustainability prize package that includes a Google Nest Wi-Fi Smart Learning Thermostat, a TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug lite, and a LARQ PureVis 500 mL Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Self-Cleaning Mode.
This contest runs from Dec 15th to Dec 29th.
Remember you can enter in two different ways as mentioned above. Many of your friends and family are likely also interested in sustainable tech. Send them the link to this contest so they too can learn from this article and enter for a chance to win this great prize bundle.
Win a sustainability prize package Rules and Regulations
Good Luck.
It may sound boring, but Energizer Rechargeable Batteries and Battery Charger is a practical way to reduce toxic waste.
Shared on Twitter @canweplzchange
I’m most interesting in the program that allows you to recycle your your old tech and batteries because they tend to accumulate and people often throw them in the garbage. Great way to help the environment!
The Segway Ninebot G30P MAX Adult Electric Scooter as it is the most financially, economical, energy saving, cost saving way to commute to home and work.
I am interested in the LARQ PureVis Self-cleaning Water Bottle. It would encourage me to drink more water while also being environmentally friendly
We’ve love the Nest thermostat because we have some of their other products and they are amazing. So user friendly and reliable. Thanks for the chance and good luck to all!
I like the Click and Grow Smart Indoor Garden. It is so satisfying growing your own food.
LARQ WATERBPOTTLE – love that It has a built-in UV-C LED light that purifies the water and it has a is a self-cleaning function.
Pour réduire la consommation d’énergie; les prises intelligentes
Vitamix is a terrific brand, so I would like to try out the food waste recycler.
I like the Smart gardening with Click and Grow. It would save me from driving to the grocery store as often and I would be able to grow herbs/veges in my apartment.
Vitamix Powered Food Waste Recycler would be an awesome addition to our kitchen and would love to compost ourselves
it would be great for garden compost
To reduce energy use; the smartplugs
Would love the click and grow to have great greens at our fingertips
The smartplugs would be great to reduce our electrical use
Vitamix Powered Food Waste Recycler would be an awesome additon to our kitchen and would love to compost ourselves
Smart plugs help reduce electricity use
The bike is an excellent option for eco savings.
Click and grow would be perfect for fresh herbs
twitter @trobi4444
facebook @trobi4444
I love the Vitamix Powered Food Waste Recycler. I compost all year round and the fertilizer is great for my many flower gardens. My old composter does the trick but in the winter is often hard to get to as it’s located in a corner of the yard with alot of snow build up.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15.6″ Laptop for the use of post-consumer recycled plastic. Because we throw too mu.ch plastic in the trash without reused it!
I love the tech recycling program! Keep it out of the landfills!
The stainless steel water bottle with self cleaning mode would be a fantastic item. It is a always a pain cleaning by hand.
Click and Grow would be great for winter herbs and greens
I am most interested in the Click and Grow Smart Indoor Garden. I love to cook with fresh ingredients and this would cut down on food waste.
Maybe the The Ninebot by Segway – less fossil fuel? Smile
love Best Buy
So many Great Products it would be fantastic to win just one of them
The Acer Aspire Vero 15.6″ Laptop for sure. Better for the environment and a nice computer, cannot lose combination!
Would love Acer laptop or city bike awesome
I like the electric bike. Living in a city with a lot of hills is not easy if you want to cycle everywhere.
I’m interested in the Google Nest Learning Thermostat because it will keep my heating bills down!
Posted on Twitter – @ozmike77:
https://twitter.com/OzMike77/status/1604435887546400768
Posted on Instagram – @osmond_michael:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmTqsJYu-5T/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
I like the Acer Aspire Vero 15.6″ Laptop and its goal to reduce the CO2 emissions produced when making the product. Good luck everyone! Happy holidays!!
I am most interested in the Segway Ninebot G30P MAX Adult Electric Scooter because I would love to use it to commute each day. No more high handed gas prices to contend with.
posted on facebook Sandra McGrunder
I am most interested in the SWFT ZIP Electric Bike. with the price of gas these days this would be awesome. with its 59 km range that is enough to get back and forth to town and all my running around
The Acer Aspire Vero 15.6″ Laptop because my laptop died a few months ago and I need a new one
The Click and Grow Smart Indoor Garden intrigues me most because I like gardening but would love to be able to do it in a condo!
I am most interested in the Click and Grow because it would be nice to grow greens all year
Interested in the electric scooter to help with the commute
I posted it on Instagram Anthony.Peterson.5439 with hashtag #BestBuyGreenLifestylecontest
I’m most interested in the click and grow indoor garden
I like the Click and Grow Indoor Garden. It would be wonderful to have fresh strawberries all year round.
An e-bike would make the most impact, reducing usage of the gas guzzlers
I shared this contest on Instagram @1eliza77_ with the hashtag #BestBuyGreenLifestylecontest
Choices, choices dear me, there are several I could choose easily but I’ll pick the Google Nest Learning Thermostat for several reasons.
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