Christmas is around the corner and it’s our favorite time of the year. It is an amazing season of magic and the beauty of snowfalls (or searing sun depending on the region and hemisphere you reside) but it’s also the best time to give thoughtful gifts to loved ones. Now, buying Christmas gifts can be a bit difficult because you need to carefully consider the preferences of the receivers. This difficulty somewhat multiplies when you are eco-conscious because then, you pay even more attention to eco-friendly products in a bid to decide which to buy and which to discard for the season.
Finding the right Christmas gifts for your tech-loving friends and geeky loved ones can be downright scary in these situations. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of eco-friendly gadgets on the market that you can buy right now, before the prices increase unbearably.
1. Caia Solar Reflector and Lighting Robot
This is one of the coolest eco-friendly gadgets of 2019. Caia is a natural lighting robot that harnesses real sunlight to brighten a home, ideal for photographers, video editors, social influencers, business owners and people who live in natural light-starved apartments and dwellings. It measures light intensity directly from the sun so that as the sun moves through the sky, it makes little adjustments and illuminates the chosen spot. Just place Caia in a sunny spot – anywhere it can trap natural light – and it will redirect the sun to brighten its nominated location!
Caia is a long term, and very low maintenance device. The product requires no installation or charging as it is solar powered. This also means that it is portable; no cords hanging off or outlets required. So give the Christmas gift of a Caia and brighten up the recipients’ lives. Literally!
2. The Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Learning Thermostat is the classic thermostat redefined. All thermostats let you set a desired temperature and monitor the current temperature, but not this one. This device actually studies a user’s preferences, learns what temperatures they like and builds its schedule around it. Incredible right?
The thermostat also learns energy and heating habits. Then it can automatically regulate user consumption by controlling the heaters in the house to match habits; even in the user’s absence. The Nest Thermostat also has an accompanying app that lets the user track your energy use, helping them to save a lot more money.
The perfect Christmas gift for that friend or family member who always forgets to turn off the heater.
3. Hidrate Spark 2.0A Smart Water Bottle
By now, we all know that single-use water bottles are not great for the environment. The Hidrate Spark Smart Water Bottle though, takes reusable water bottles to the next level. The Spark is like a guardian water angel that tracks water consumption, calculates how much water is needed based on body type and location and glows to remind the owner to drink water.
Now to the slightly geeky part; it even integrates with Fitbit, Apple Watch, or other activity tracker to adjust daily water goals to match daily activity levels. It’s also (somewhat surprisingly) dishwasher safe, holds up to 24 ounces of liquid, and fits in a standard cup holder. What friend or family member of yours wouldn’t want this for ultimate eco Christmas gift we wonder?
4. Anker PowerPort Solar Lite
This, I imagine is the first rule of geeks; all devices must be fully charged at all times. Well, you would be pleased to know that the Anker PowerPort Solar Lite lets you achieve this in the most environmentally friendly way possible. It features a velcro pocket that can hold the phone while the panel is charging in the sun. There are two USB charging ports inside the pocket of the Anker PowerPort Solar Lite.
The peculiar design of the Anker PowerPort Solar Lite means it can be propped up to direct the panels toward the sun and it also has pet-faced solar panels, sewn into industrial strength canvas for durability. Buy this for a loved one this Christmas if you can, so that when they’re out enjoying the great outdoors, they can enjoy yet another perk: free limitless power. All they have to do is spread out the solar panels or attach to their backpacks to start repowering their gadgets.
5. Yirego Drumi Manual Laundry
Many folks want to save energy usage while laundering clothes but just don’t know how. I mean, what is the alternative– hand washing? A better alternative is the Yirego Drumi Manual Laundry.
The Drumi is a compact, portable pedal-powered laundry machine for which needs no installation. The machine can hold up to 2kg of clothes in a single wash, uses very little water and promises to clean laundry in 5-10 minutes with no electricity used.
Ideal Christmas gift for those who would love a portable laundry machine for camping, those who live in studio apartments or college student friends and family who don’t have much money to buy a massive washing machine, but don’t want to leave home to go to a laundromat either.
6. House of Marley No Bounds Bluetooth Outdoor Speaker
House of Marley is known for their eco-friendly speakers and other audio-related products. Inspired by Bob Marley, their No Bounds Bluetooth Speaker is made from cork, is waterproof and is both renewable and biodegradable. Asides from the audio quality of Marley’s all new Bluetooth wireless speakers, headphones and ear buds, each purchase supports reforestry through the brand’s partner- One Tree Planted.
So this Christmas, nudge your friends to push their boundaries with this gift. Or you could gift yourself one for the season. I mean, your friends deserve all the niceties of life – but so do you.
7. Click and Grow Smart Garden 9
A lot of the gadget-obsessed geeks I know don’t get out a lot. But guess how to get some fresh air while in your house; grow your own plants. Using just eight watts of power, The Smart Garden can grow your seedlings under its LED light. Utilizing its smart soil technology, the device distributes water to all the pods containing your plants making sure they are taken care of and nourished at all times.
This is an excellent gift for a geek or an introvert this Christmas, not only because it is handy, affordable and saves you money on buying fresh herbs, but also because, since the plants are nourished automatically, you have a better chance of convincing them to hang out with you every now and then. A classic win-win situation isn’t it?
8. GoSun Portable Solar Cooker
Newsflash: Lunch and dinners while camping, don’t have to be cooked on regular bulky stationary grills anymore. Get a portable solar cooker and you’re good to go. With this portable solar cooker from GoSun, you can easily cook your food outdoors using nothing but solar energy.
This cooker harnesses even the smallest amount of natural light to help you cook your deliciously healthy meals, and at the same time, it saves energy. Surprisingly cool to touch whilst solar cooking, this is the classic gift that will keep on giving all year long and so it’s perfect for that one friend or family who loves food as much as they love camping or getting away in the great outdoors. It also guarantees you an invitation to a trip away to enjoy a meal made purely by the sun.
9. Rocketbook Everlast Smart Reusable Notebook
If you have that one friend who is always scribbling notes or ideas on papers, this will make a perfect and thoughtful gift for him/her this Christmas. With the Rocketbook Everlast Reusable Notebook, they can make all the notes they want without wasting anymore paper or messing up the place.
The notebook is made with glossy paper and comes with specially-made erasable gel pens available in different colors.
Anything written on the notebook can be erased with a damp cloth which all come with the notebook. And it gets better. The Rocketbook has an accompanying app that lets you easily scan the notes and save them as PDF in your mail or any cloud service. Your nerdy friend is bound to adore all these qualities because this is the ideal gift he/she won’t forget for years to come– and will be able to use for the rest of their life!
10. Smarter FridgeCam Smart Refrigerator Camera
And the last but certainly not the least on our list is the Smarter FridgeCam. This handy small camera easily attaches to the inside of the refrigerator to gives instant access to its contents. Every time someone closes the fridge, this camera takes and sends a photo of refrigerator’s contents to the Smarter App. It then creates an inventory of what is in stock to ensure users don’t forget to restock on their favourite foods the next time they go shopping.
Smarter’s FridgeCam also identifies and keeps track of the expiration dates of the fridge’s contents which makes food waste a thing of the past, as it alerts users when those dates are approaching. With FridgeCam, fewer trips to the store mean less energy usage, an ideal gift for families, friends and any eco geek on your Christmas list looking for efficiency – and wants to cut down on food waste.
Recommending reading:
- 3 Eco-Conscious Ways To Wrap Gifts This Christmas
- 12 Affordable Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas for He/Him (Under $35)
- From Art Workshops to Vegan Cooking Classes, These ‘Experiences’ Make Purposeful Xmas Gifts
- 12 Eco-Friendly Birthday and Christmas Gift Ideas for She/Her (Under $70)
- 20 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Thoughtful Gift Givers
- 15 Cruelty-Free and Vegan Xmas Gifts For Eco Beauty Lovers
- GlobeIn Artisan Boxes: Stylish and Affordable Fair Trade, Ethical and Eco-Friendly Xmas Gifts
Disclosure: This curated list does not fully take into account all the ethical considerations that are unique to each individual. Before making a purchase, we encourage you to do your own research paying special attention to the supply chain and your own particular set of ethics. This list also includes affiliate links. Click here to read more about our policies.
Title image via House of Marley.
