Find your worry-free escape.
Find your worry-free escape.
We all have that eco-warrior friend who also loves to travel. And for someone who has an advocacy as noble as trying to save our planet for our children’s, and our children’s children’s future, choosing a Christmas gift for him/her can be a bit tricky—interesting, sure, but tricky. What can you give a person who’s probably not into that consumerism frenzy of the holiday season? Here’s a list of eco-friendly travel gifts your environmentalist traveler friend would surely appreciate this Christmas:
Whether you’re an environmentalist or someone who couldn’t care less about the planet, dental hygiene is still important. That’s why no matter what your advocacies are, we all pack our toothbrushes in our bags whenever we travel. And as most of you know, plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills when we discard them every six months or so. That’s definitely a major concern for any green advocate as plastic items can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. A bamboo toothbrush, on the other hand, will only take four to six months to rot in a landfill, which makes it a perfect option for those who’d want to lessen their carbon footprint as much as they can.
If your green friend decides to spend most of his/her holiday break in Boracay to experience the newly revitalized beauty of the island paradise, he/she would surely love an insulated tumbler for a gift. Not only will it keep drinks cold or hot, but your friend also wouldn’t need to buy bottled water or coffee in a paper cup thus, reducing waste. He/She would be able to enjoy beach bumming with a drink on his/her hand without worrying about the waste. Truly, a meaningful Christmas in Boracay.
Whenever a person eats in a restaurant that uses disposable plastic utensils, he/she contributes to the plastic problem. We all know things that are made of plastic will eventually end up in landfills, or worse, in the ocean. And as earlier mentioned, once that piece of plastic ends up in the water or in a landfill, it will stay there for the next thousand years. That’s why when you’re eating in a fast food restaurant, use a more sustainable bamboo set of cutleries instead of plastic cutleries.
Another item made of plastic that we should really be wary about are plastic straws. You’ve probably seen photos of mountains of trash or floating islands of garbage in the ocean. Most of these are plastic cups with straws in them. People use these by the millions every day and this could cause a great deal of problem for all of us. By using reusable stainless steel straws, you’d be able to enjoy sipping your favorite drink without adding to the overwhelming problem of where and how to dispose of plastic straws.
Most beachgoers usually pack their wet swimsuits in plastic bags. Souvenir shoppers put their pasalubongs in plastic bags as well. And when they’re done with the bags, guess where these plastic bags end up—yup, in the oceans and landfills. So instead of using disposable plastic bags, an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative are reusable totes. And the best thing about it is that because it is foldable, you wouldn’t have problems packing these away when you’re not using them. Your environmentalist friend will surely appreciate this one.
We all need our gadgets wherever we go. And when you go to a travel destination that doesn’t have an electrical outlet, you’d probably only use your mobile phone when you’re in an emergency. This means no Instagram stories for your friend until he or she gets back to civilization. A solar charger, however, can provide your friends’ gadgets enough extra boost to keep those interesting IG stories coming.
Another perfect travel-friendly gift idea is eco-friendly packing cubes. Travelers love them because it helps keep their stuff well organized—especially if he or she is going to be packing a lot of things for longer trips. Get your traveler friend one of these and see his/her face light up.
Soap, shampoo, lotion, and toothpaste are essentials when it comes to personal hygiene. These, however, seep into the soil, to waterways, until they reach the ocean and this could damage our coral reefs—not to mention our natural wells and other water sources. That’s why if your eco-friendly friend is planning a vacay in Boracay after Christmas, you should gift him or her organic toiletries.
Instead of using your mobile phone, tablet, and other electronics, a true-blue traveler (and an environmentalist at that) should be using a travel journal and a pen to record his/her adventures. It will also be a liberating experience to finally be rid of your gadgets for a while, right?
Imagine a quiet afternoon at the beach with a drink in one hand and a good book to read on the other. Definitely, something a traveler would surely love. Get him or her a paperback novel and your friend would surely love it.
Keep in mind that this list is just a gift guide to help you decide what get your traveler friend. It’s still up to you and how much you know your friend. Deciding what to buy him or her this Christmas is always fun, especially if that friend is someone you are very close to.
If you and/or your friend are planning to go to Boracay this Christmas season, Alta Vista de Boracay is the best choice to stay. Check out our facilities in this site to know what to expect when you decide to stay here