The season of giving…

It’s getting closer and closer to Christmas day. People are running out of ideas of what to buy for friends and family. We only have so much creativity then we just fall back on that old gift giving staple: Gift Cards. However gift cards are not eco-friendly. Nearly all store gift cards are made from PVC. An estimated 10 billion gift cards are produced every year, and if not recycled that is 10 million headed for landfill waste every year. Most cards are disposed of after just one use, despite most cards having the ability to be ‘recharged’ with credit and passed on to the next recipient. For security reasons this is obviously not something that stores can do, but if you receive a gift card maybe think about reloading it as a gift to a family member or friend. Or alternatively look at the other solutions.

Recycling

Previously it was thought not to be worth recycling these little plastic cards but  Earthworks knew better. They now have a thriving recycling business. Retailers retain zero value gift cards and then ship them to Earthworks for recycling into earth-friendly, reusable sheet material. This material is then used to create new gift cards which are then loaded with credit and used like any other gift card. Impressive that there is a solution for the existing PVC gift cards in circulation, but could we do more?

Bio-plastics

Currently on the market are gift cards made from bioplastics, a material derived from renewable sources such as vegetable oil and cornstarch rather than petroleum. There is currently a biodegradable plastic called Mirel that decomposes in soil, compost and both fresh and salt water. Target stores announced in 2007 that they were using Mirel in their gift cards in stores nationwide. Cards using Mirel state on the back that “This GiftCard is made from naturally renewable corn-based material that is biodegradable in your
backyard compost”. These bioplastics are being used in more items everyday, like pens and razors, to ease the environmental impact of filling the landfill with PVC plastics.

Alternatives

How about digital giftcards? Some online stores simply email the recipient the gift card code to enter upon shopping and the work is done. Great for those technically minded people, and there are so many online stores that sell a wide variety of products. An alternative to recycling, bioplastic, or digital gift cards would be to simply use a
method of currency that is already available and accepted everywhere,
you guess it, the good ol’ greenback! The problem with gift cards is
they are usually centered on a specific store, whereas cash can be spent anywhere, on anything. Plus it’s something that is already in circulation being used everyday.

For environmental impact we reduce first, then reuse and lastly recycle. In aiming to reduce the plastic in circulation we suggest cash or digital gift cards as the eco-friendly option.