With just a few weeks before Christmas, I’ve begun to think about gifts I’m going to buy for friends and relatives, and I can make my celebration more sustainable. One part of the holiday gift giving ritual I’ve always hated is wrapping gifts. I’m not particularly gifted at folding the wrapping paper. Usually, my gifts look like they were wrapped by a third grader.
Thankfully, I found an alternative that will help me keep my commitment to make my celebration sustainable and allow me to avoid wrapping gifts in the usual clumsy manner. A few weeks ago, I met an enterprising young woman named Katie Best of Manassas, VA, who started a unique business called Greenwraps. Simply put, she sells reusable gift wraps. Instead of wasting paper and tape, you can simply slip your gift neatly into a sturdy cloth package that is just as attractive as a gift wrapped at a department store, including the near-perfect bow. What’s more, on December 26, you won’t have to worry about throwing away loads of paper. According to her website, Katie said that was her motivation for starting her business.
Greenwraps was one of several green-friendly businesses that exhibited a few weeks ago at the DC Green Festival. Like Katie, each of these business people have products that serve a practical purpose and promote sustainability at home. I was impressed by several of these green entrepreneurs and their stories. They provided lots of great sustainability ideas that are worth considering. I’ll be sharing many more of those stories during the next few weeks.
