2022 LAST-MINUTE holiday gift ideas

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that I’m softly but surely making a more regular return to posting content. This gradual increase has been in anticipation for the one post I can’t miss all year — my annual holiday gift guide! I’ve enjoyed doing this essentially since I started Ethigirl (aside from 2020 for unfortunately obvious reasons). It’s such a pleasure to put aside everything that happened throughout the year and get out on the hunt to bring you the coolest gift ideas ever.

See all past years’ versions here: 2018 | 2019 | 2021

With this post, I’m bringing you the ULTIMATE last-minute gift guide. As an occasional procrastinator, I’ve looked at a fair share of these kinds of guides myself, and they typically fall short. But this one is cool, local, thoughtful, ethical, sustainable, meaningful, and full of gifts your people will actually LOVE.

A quick disclaimer here: I know each business’ holiday cutoff times are different. I also know availability of each item in your area will be different. I hope some of these ideas will apply to you based on what you can access!

At this point, you may or may not still be in shippable territory. If you’re in an urban area or can access one, local pickup is better for the environment as it reduces shipping emissions — but if you’re in a rural area (like me, currently) or can’t get out to the stores, express shipping might be one of your only options. I encourage you to balance what is accessible for you and what aligns with your values.

So, let's dive in!

Eat Me

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Drink Me

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Eat Me 〰️ Drink Me 〰️

Specialty Food Items From Brunette (Or Another Local Grocery/Online Shop)

Brunette is an online, Montreal-based gourmet food retailer, which offers gifts, goods, and merchandise from the city’s top chefs, restaurants, and grocers. Montreal is such a major food city, with so many iconic spots and celebrities, so a business like this is incredibly cool to have. I ordered a box of their goods for my parents last year, and it was one of their favourite Christmas gifts! If your family is into food, try this site out. Or, pop into your local boutique grocery store and see what treasures you can find! Many of them also have websites nowadays.

From Brunette, I recommend ANYTHING from Stefano Faita, or one of their cool gift bundles.

Fair Trade Food - Coffee, Tea, Chocolate And More From Rosette Fair Trade

Rosette offers an abundance of fair trade goods in an easily-navigable site, and acts as a one-stop-shop for all things ethical! It also stocks Oxfam Fair Trade products, which provides Canadians access to a whole host of products that we can’t normally get here. In 2019, founder Lia Walsh VERY kindly gifted whole box of snacks to try, and everything was so delicious!

Another thing which I love about Rosette Fair Trade is that it sells Palestinian-made products! That’s why this year, I’m recommending the Zatoun gift bundle of Palestinian products, which comes with fair trade olive oil, soap, and za’atar (a Palestinian herb mix). This purchase directly supports Palestinian olive farmers, keeping a traditional practice alive while also economically assisting surrounding communities.

Spices From Diaspora Co.

What it is: Diaspora Co. was founded in 2017 by Sana Javeri Kadri, a third-generation Mumbai native, with the goal of creating accessible pathways to higher-quality, equitable spices and to build long-term partnerships with Indian farmers. Since its inception, the company has grown tremendously, and offers a great array of delicious products. The website has a dedicated page just for gift ideas, so take a look!

What I recommend: Check out The Trio, which allows you to choose three spices as a "starter pack” for your recipient, or The Pantry Refresh, which is comprised of six of Diaspora’s most popular spices.

A Coffee or Tea Apparatus

Someone pouring tea into beautiful brown and cream stone tea mug.

Hot drinks are one of the best things on the planet, and like many, I’m absolutely obsessed with coffee. This gift idea was inspired by my partner, who amazingly gifted me (and us, quite frankly) an espresso machine this year! Prior to that, I was using a cracked French press for way too long. Replacing that horrible item with something that has actually revolutionized my morning routine was one of the best things I could ask for.

So an espresso machine is one option, or if that doesn’t suit your needs, you could try a pour-over (with a reusable filter, to avoid waste), a different type of coffee machine, a nice kettle, a teapot, or a nice insulated mug/thermos in their favourite colour. I personally have my eye on this stoneware teapot set from United by Blue, a certified B-Corp that removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every purchase.

Aside from apparatuses, you could also consider a nice bag of Fairtrade beans or tea! No one will ever be unhappy at that gift.

Zero-Waste Gin From Loop

Loop is a Montreal company that is seeking to solve food waste by using it to create innovative products (thus, closing the Loop!). They started out by making cold-pressed juices, and quickly expanded to a variety of other items, including gin!

The Lime Ginger Gin I’ve linked is made from potato chip waste which Loop rescues from a nearby factory.

Your recipient will be happy to have a delicious and sustainable gift with a very cool party story! According to Loop’s website, you can currently buy the gin at the SAQ (Quebec), LCBO (Ontario), ANBL (New Brunswick), and Highlander Wine & Spirits (Calgary).


Products from Peace by Chocolate

Peace by Chocolate is a wonderful company founded by the Hadhads, a family of chocolatiers from Syria who found themselves as refugees after their original chocolate factory in Damascus was bombed. After living in Lebanon for three years, they were invited to settle in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where they relaunched their chocolate company.

I can say myself that the chocolate is absolutely delicious and you would be crazy not to buy it. Moreover, 3-5% of profits from every sale are donated to the Peace on Earth Society — a charity which supports global peace building projects.

And as a Maritimer myself, it’s a must-recommend!

Coming up next...

Art

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Music

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Art 〰️ Music 〰️

Artwork and Items that support artists

Cheese Dreams throw blanket from Society6

Specifically over the past few weeks with the rise of AI art, we’ve been having a lot of conversations about PAYING ARTISTS FAIRLY FOR THEIR WORK. This is such an important issue — art is important and we need it to keep us going. As such, what better time than the holidays to gift your loved one a piece of art that you directly supported the artist in order to do it?

There are a couple of different platforms you could look at for this! Some that come to mind for me include Society6, which is a platform on which artists can sell their art by featuring it on a number of mediums, including mugs, prints, rugs, curtains, bedding, and more. The list has actually kept growing and growing throughout the years I’ve been aware of Society6.

Of course, as I mentioned last year, Etsy is a wonderful small business marketplace to source all kinds of gifts, including art and creative pieces. Some of the things I recommended last year are this Sailboat Jewelry Holder, this Cereal-Scented Candle, this absolutely gorgeous Suncatcher, and these Flower Beaded Earrings. But seriously, go take a look yourself!

A Secondhand or Vintage record Player

If you have a loved one who is music-obsessed, I think one of the most thoughtful things you can get for them is a record player, or a physical form of their favourite music. Obviously, having every single song ever at your fingertips like we do these days is amazing, but listening to something on a record player is another experience.

I know that there are a lot of environmental concerns with records and record players, so that’s why I recommend this as something for someone you know will truly treasure it and get a lot of use out of it. As well, consider getting one secondhand — my current one is, and the amount of character and coziness it has is something I never take for granted. I also love displaying my records as artwork on my wall with these record wall mounts from Etsy.

Merch From Their Favorite Artist, Movie, or Show

Did your loved one share their Spotify Wrapped on Instagram (or other music streaming platform version of this)? If not, get them to, and figure out who their favourite artist was this year. Then, find a way to get them merchandise! T-shirts, posters, etc…. and this doesn’t even just have to apply to music. If they’re more into movies or television, the same thing applies.

For every one of your recipient’s interests, there is sure to be a merchandise shop somewhere — either on the website of the thing, or on somewhere like Etsy or Redbubble. A favourite musician will certainly have a t-shirt or pin for sale on their website. Get creative, and you’re sure to find something they’ll treasure forever!

An Instrument

I feel like we all have that person in our life who has always said, “one day I’m going to learn how to play the guitar” (I do — and they’re doing it!). If you do, help them! Learning a new hobby or talent is literally so special and one of the best things someone can do for themselves.

For a secondhand instrument, check out somewhere like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Craigslist, or eBay!

Let's dive into the next section!

Beauty

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Home

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Self-Care

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Beauty 〰️ Home 〰️ Self-Care 〰️

Sustainable, Ethical, or Vintage Jewelry

Are you looking for something thoughtful that your recipient will never forget? Jewelry just might be the right fit! If you want something secondhand or vintage, I suggest scouring thrift stores or flea markets, or again - checking out Etsy! Or, perhaps you have something of your own that you don’t wear anymore that you can think they’d love?

There are also a number of sustainable jewelry brands popping up that you might consider taking a look at, such as Mejuri (which I feel like everybody with an Instagram account is aware of at this point) or Vitaly.

As a side note, during research I also came across this vintage musical jewelry box on Etsy, which I just may be obsessed with…

Meaningful Christmas Ornament

If your loved one celebrates Christmas, a special ornament is a great way to their heart.

My family’s Christmas tree is an absolute montage of all our memories, hobbies, pets, and gifts from over the years. We’ve got more “____ First Christmas” ornaments than you can imagine. It’s super sentimental and eclectic, and getting to take them all out and get flooded with memories every year is so lovely.

I think it’s so special to gift that ability to someone else, too!

Ethical Cosmetics/Skincare

There are all kinds of wonderful ethical & sustainable cosmetics and skincare brands out there, but my ride or die is always Lush (as all long-time readers know) — especially for gifts! They are ethical and sustainable by-the-book on every cause, their products are all natural, their employees are treated fairly, they are serious about animal testing, they are vocal about human rights and activism, and most recently, they’ve decided to break up with social media!

Lush has a pretty extensive and wonderful gift selection! I most recently gifted Hello Gorgeous for a birthday, and my recipient was SO happy. I also suggest Charity Pot, a body cream for which Lush donates 100% of the profits to grassroots charities.

Candles from Shy Wolf Candles

Shy Wolf Candles are hand-poured using soy wax in Grey Highlands, Ontario. Founder Julie Klukas gets all her inspiration from rock and roll, tarot, nature, and community. All of the candles have different themes, and they smell absolutely lovely — can confirm! They’re high-quality, long-lasting, look beautiful on a counter, and some of them support cool causes, too.

If you live in Southern Ontario, you can order by December 19th for Christmas delivery!

Some other amazing candle brands I can recommend are P.F. Candle Co. and Mala the BrandMala the Brand.

Your Favourite Book - or a Book that makes you think of them

Is it just me who’s trying to read more in 2023? Getting a book is such a thoughtful and amazing gift! Something you could do is buy them a copy of your favourite and write them a nice note inside on why you’re giving it to them. I promise they’ll cherish it forever.

If you’re looking for book recommendations, check out Indigo’s Best Books of 2022.

And, for our final section...

Experiences, Not Things!

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Experiences, Not Things! 〰️

Lessons — in Music, Languages, and More!

Maybe your person already has the instrument? Okay, gift them a lesson or two!

Or maybe, they want to learn something else! Gifting them lessons is such a great way to help them get started. For me, for example, I’ve been taking French lessons for months on Preply, an online language learning platform based in Kiev, Ukraine. I’ve loved how it’s kept me accountable to actually practice and advance at a skill that’s important to me. If you or a loved one might want to learn or practice a language this way, too, you’re in luck — I have a referral link! Get 70% off your first lesson by clicking here!

donation to a cause they care about - with a small physical token

If there’s an organization whose work they are passionate about, this might be a good option! Some people truly mean it when they say they don’t want anything, and this is a good way to ensure they know you are still thinking of them. This thoughtful option could also go very well paired with another small item, if you wished.

CanadaHelps is a good platform to donate to charities in Canada!


a spa or Hotel gift card


Who do you know that could use a massage, a trip to the Nordic spa, or a stay in a hotel? Aside from literally anyone, this might do the trick for someone on your list! The best thing with gift cards is they are SO last-minute friendly, but something like this isn’t your average $50 to Best Buy — they will truly never forget an experience like this!


I am a huge Nordic spa person (if you’ve never gone yourself, you have to!), so I have to recommend the following spas:

Montreal: Spa Bota Bota
Whistler: Spa Scandinave
Victoria: Ritual Nordic SpaRitual Nordic SpaRitual Nordic Spa

A Travel Gift Card — with a Carbon Offset

If your recipient has decided they’re ready to get on a plane again (especially if it’s to come see you), help them make it easier with a gift card from FlightGift! It’s a service that allows you to purchase a gift card that the recipient can use toward virtually any airline and any destination. I gifted one of these to a friend earlier this year and they were incredibly happy! You could also go the extra mile by advance-purchasing them a carbon offset for their trip through a platform like Less.


Well, there you have it! I sincerely hope one of these gifts is going to get you over the finish line with your gift-giving this year. (Or maybe you haven’t even started yet — no judgement). I know it can be a stressful time of year, so ensure you take time to relax, too.

What did I miss? Which gift did you like the most? Please let me know in the comments!

With love and sustainability,
Ethigirl

2021 gift ideas to AVOID AMAZON!

Hello!

How are you? How are your family and friends? If you are in school, how are your exams?
I hope you’re enjoying your December and getting excited for the holiday break ahead.

Personally, I am well! Two weekends ago, I finally celebrated my graduation from my Bachelor’s degree, and after spending a couple of wonderful days in Montreal with my loved ones, I travelled back to spend the month of December at home with my parents. I am getting in some much-needed family time (and dog time). It’s lovely!

Being home this early before Christmas has also given me the chance to actually plan my holiday shopping ahead of time for once (possibly the first time ever?)! As part of that, I will be boycotting Amazon. During the holidays, we know that consumption drastically increases, and due to its convenience, a lot of that business gets directed toward the multinational online giant. This boom is very beneficial for Amazon, but not so much for its workers, who are the ones who make that 2-day shipping guarantee a reality.

Just read this Guardian article from February 2020, for example. Of course this is an American context, but follow the thread of our geographical and cultural proximity, as well as similar pandemic-related shifts in consumption, and you’ll conclude that the Canadian reality was, and is, not all that different. Valuing workers is just not in Amazon’s business strategy.

Shopping from Amazon is convenient, and many people aren’t able avoid it due to their economic or geographic situation, which is fine. But if you can, I strongly urge you to try.

And obviously, this is Ethigirl we’re talking about, so I’m not going to tell you to stop something without giving you an alternative! As such, I wanted to take the time to share with you some ideas for conscious, small-business oriented, thoughtful, sustainable, and/or ethical gifts you can give in 2021. I hope you like them, and that they give you some inspiration as you go about your shopping! And please remember to gift responsibly — aka, avoid overconsumption as much as you can!

food & drink

Specialty Food Items from Brunette (or another local grocery/online shop)

What it is: Brunette is an online, Montreal-based gourmet food retailer, which offers gifts, goods, and merchandise from the city’s top chefs, restaurants, and grocers. Montreal is such a major food city, with so many iconic spots and celebrities, so a business like this is incredibly cool to have. I ordered a box of their goods for my parents last year, and it was one of their favourite Christmas gifts! If your family is into food, try this site out. Or, pop into your local boutique grocery store and see what treasures you can find! Many of them also have websites nowadays.

What I recommend: From Brunette, go for ANYTHING from Stefano Faita, or one of their cool gift bundles.

Spices from Diaspora Co.

What it is: Diaspora Co. was founded in 2017 by Sana Javeri Kadri, a third-generation Mumbai native, with the goal of creating accessible pathways to higher-quality, equitable spices and to build long-term partnerships with Indian farmers. Since its inception, the company has grown tremendously, and offers a great array of delicious products. The website has a dedicated page just for gift ideas, so take a look!

What I recommend: Check out The Trio, which allows you to choose three spices as a "starter pack” for your recipient, or The Pantry Refresh, which is comprised of six of Diaspora’s most popular spices.

NOTE: Keep in mind that if you order from Diaspora, at this point they might not be able to guarantee delivery by December 25th.

Fair Trade Food - Coffee, Tea, Chocolate and More from Rosette Fair Trade

What it is: If you’ve been around awhile, you’ll remember that in my 2019 holiday gift guide, I recommended Rosette Fair Trade too! Rosette offers an abundance of fair trade goods in an easily-navigable site, and acts as a one-stop-shop for all things ethical! It also stocks Oxfam Fair Trade products, which provides Canadians access to a whole host of products that we can’t normally get here. In 2019, founder Lia Walsh VERY kindly gifted whole box of snacks to try, and everything was so delicious!

What I recommend: Another thing which I love about Rosette Fair Trade is that it sells Palestinian-made products! That’s why this year, I’m recommending the Zatoun gift bundle of Palestinian products, which comes with fair trade olive oil, soap, and za’atar (a Palestinian herb mix). This purchase directly supports Palestinian olive farmers, keeping a traditional practice alive while also economically assisting surrounding communities.

Zero-Waste Gin from Loop

What it is: Loop is a Montreal company that is seeking to solve food waste by using it to create innovative products (thus, closing the Loop!). They started out by making cold-pressed juices, and quickly expanded to a variety of other items, including gin!

What I recommend: The Lime Ginger Gin I’ve linked is made from potato chip waste which Loop rescues from a nearby factory.

Your recipient will be happy to have a delicious and sustainable gift with a very cool party story. According to Loop’s website, you can currently buy the gin at the SAQ (Quebec), LCBO (Ontario), ANBL (New Brunswick), and Highlander Wine & Spirits (Calgary).

art & music

Vintage Décor, Artwork, Ornaments, Candles and More from Etsy

What it is: One of my favorite places to do holiday shopping so far this year has been Etsy, a small business-oriented online marketplace. Man, it literally has everything! I love seeing the creativity that so many artists and small business owners have. For me, even when I’m not sure what I want to get someone, once I browse Etsy I pretty quickly come up with an idea! I love being able to support a real person through every purchase I make.

What I recommend: Although I could suggest things forever, here are a few items that have recently caught my eye: this Sailboat Jewelry Holder, this Cereal-Scented Candle, this absolutely gorgeous Suncatcher, and these Flower Beaded Earrings. But seriously, go take a look yourself! Etsy has a really extensive gift guide so you don’t get overwhelmed, and so many things are reasonably-priced and very high quality.


Merch from Their Favorite Artist, Movie/Show, Charity, or Café

What it is: This is such a thoughtful one! For every one of your recipient’s interests, there is sure to be a merchandise shop somewhere — either on the website of the thing, or on somewhere like Etsy or Redbubble. If your recipient loves cafes, surely their go-to spot sells mugs, bags of coffee beans, or tote bags. A favorite musician will certainly have a t-shirt or pin for sale on their website. Get creative, and you’re sure to find something they’ll treasure forever!

What I recommend: Personally, I’ve got my eye on this All Too Well poster from Taylor Swift’s website.

Custom Records, Cassettes, or Coasters

What it is: If your recipient is really into music, we can go deeper down this rabbit hole! If they own a record player or have an old cassette player, you can make them a custom record or cassette mixtape, and even choose what goes on the outside!

What I recommend: For Christmas last year, I opted for the mixtape for my boyfriend — this one from Etsy. I was seriously so happy with how it turned out, and the experience of creating the playlist and then eventually listening to it together was so sweet! For the custom record, here’s one option. Another decorative idea is to do custom record coasters! You can pick the album(s) you like, and then your lucky recipient has all of their favorite music as decorations.

self-care

Anything from Lush

What it is: I have been a lifetime customer of Lush, and for every good reason. They are ethical and sustainable by-the-book on every cause, their products are all natural, their employees are treated fairly, they are serious about animal testing, they are vocal about human rights and activism, and most recently, they’ve decided to break up with social media!

The latter thing is something I’m incredibly excited to follow. While I know as a blogger how powerful social media can be, I also know how detrimental it is and I’m terrified of its long-term impacts. Companies like Facebook are also extraordinarily unethical, and are only getting worse, so it is time to take a stand. I couldn’t be more supportive of Lush taking a lead on that.

What I recommend: Lush has a pretty extensive gift selection, all of which look absolutely wonderful! But if you are looking for individual products, I have a few suggestions too. If you’ve got curly hair, check out the Power conditioner and the Revive hair cream. Charity Pot is a body cream for which Lush donates 100% of the profits to grassroots charities. And Angels on Bare Skin is a wonderfully gentle face and body scrub that smells amazing!

A Nice Compost Bin

What it is: Alright, some of you might be laughing about this one (which is totally fair honestly), but think about my reader base for a second! If your recipient is eco-conscious, help make composting a little less disgusting for them. Let’s be realistic — most of us definitely leave our compost bins under our sink for WAY too long and forget to take them out. The whole thing is just not fun, but it’s worth it for the planet.

What I recommend: If you’re like me, you just bought the cheapest one you could find. But this one from OXO is a little higher-end, a little less unsightly, and it’s even dishwasher safe! Making sustainable household chores more palatable is something I’d definitely call self-care.

last-minute, harder-to-box, but still good

A Subscription to Book of the Month

Subscription boxes and services have become something of a go-to for a lot of people, but if your recipient loves reading, or wants to love reading but never knows what to pick, this is a great option! How it works is you pick the length of your subscription (3 months, 6 months, etcetera…) and then each month, the company lets you choose one book from five great new releases. The service is surprisingly affordable, and very exciting as a recipient (it’s fun to have something to look forward to every month, and it’s like a gift that keeps on giving)!

A Parks Pass


Does your recipient like nature? If they do, buy them a Discovery Pass from Parks Canada! It will let them get unlimited admission to more than 80 locations. With the pandemic, a lot of us are seeing more of the places we live in, and this is a cool way to help your family and friends do it without paying anything.

A Travel Gift Card

Whenever your recipient decides they’re ready to get on a plane again (especially if it’s to come see you), help them make it easier with a gift card from FlightGift! It’s a service that allows you to purchase a gift card that the recipient can use toward virtually any airline and any destination. I gifted one of these to a friend earlier this year and they were incredibly happy! If you have been separated from a loved one during the pandemic, this thoughtful idea could help close the gap (if/when it’s safe).

A Donation in Their Name

If there’s an organization whose work they are passionate about, this might be a good option! Some people truly mean it when they say they don’t want anything, and this is a good way to ensure they know you are still thinking of them. This thoughtful option could also go very well paired with another small item, if you wished.

A Tinggly Gift Box

Here is an opportunity to consciously give the gift of an experience! Tinggly is a company which allows you to gift “experience gift boxes". What does that look like? You choose the category (think: Bucket List, Taste the World, and so on), and then Tinggly sends a personalized package that allows your recipient to select the experience from an extensive list and redeem it next time they are travelling. Examples of experiences include cooking classes, spa treatments, or even bungee jumping. It’s a really cool concept that I think goes a step beyond your traditional gift card and into the realm of something that will encourage your recipient to try something new and amazing!

conclusion

Well, there you are! A whole host of new gift ideas that I hope will make it easier for you to get started (or get finished, depending what stage of shopping you’re at). I hope you’ll remember to support local, shop small, and consume consciously this holiday season, whatever that looks like for you and your unique situation.

What are you planning on gifting this year that you’re excited about? What did I miss? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear it (I’m still collecting ideas, after all)! I love you all so much, and thank you for reading!!!

With love and sustainability,
ethigirl

how do I eat sustainably during COVID-19? a guide

Hey folks!

I hope you’re doing your best to crawl toward the end of the universally-hated 2020. In today’s article, I'm addressing a fun, yet challenging topic and allll of the nuances that come along with it: eating sustainably during COVID-19. 

So much has changed about our lifestyles as a result of the pandemic. When it comes to our sustainable habits, the same is definitely true. Don't believe me? Well, would you still be comfortable using a restaurant’s reusable utensils right now? Or, have you been buying just a little more takeout than usual?

Photo by Any Lane on Pexels.com

Photo by Any Lane on Pexels.com

We’re in a whole new world now, and taking care of yourself and those around you has to be your top priority. That means everything else may go out of focus for a little while.

But many of us will still want to be as sustainable as possible during this time -- if not even more so, since the climate crisis feels even more pressing. So, what might that look like right now? In this article, I’ll provide my approach to sustainable eating during COVID through each of the three realms of sustainability (social, environmental, and economic), backing it all up with tangible and direct resources you can use today. 

So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

social sustainability

When it comes to social sustainability, we primarily think about people. We think about things like the treatment of marginalized groups within society, equity, diversity, and workers’ rights. Although many think the pandemic has had an equivalent effect on everyone, the research makes it clear that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted marginalized communities. For example, more Black people get infected with and die from the virus, and many people in lower income brackets are also the ones working essential service jobs.

As such, there’s a huge role to play when it comes to socially sustainable food. Mainly, it looks like supporting restaurants, brands, and practices that seek to support marginalized groups and workers. You could consider donating your money to funds that combat food insecurity and provide relief to restaurants and food industry workers. Montreal Eater has a big list of those resources here. If you’re at McGill or in Montreal, you should also consider checking out Meals for Milton-Parc and the Montreal Student Initiative for Covid-19 Response and Relief.

Above is a recent post from Meals For Milton-Parc’s Instagram page! It gives a description about what this amazing, student-led organization is doing to support food sovereignty and security in Milton-Parc, a community near the McGill campus that is home to a group of houseless folks.

Moreover, this time is an excuse (in my opinion…) to eat out more. It’s a great excuse to take a break from cooking, and it directly assists restaurants, who are greatly in need of our support right now. You might consider specifically supporting BIPOC-owned restaurants. Cult MTL, for example, has a big Montreal-based list of Black-owned establishments. As well, when eating out, you might wish to go physically pick up your order or to contact the restaurant directly, because delivery apps take a pretty large cut of the restaurants’ earnings (as much as 25-30%!).

economic sustainability

Many people don’t totally get the term ‘economic sustainability’, which is fair since our mainstream conceptions of environmentalism seem to argue that financial systems are the root causes of climate injustice. While the aforementioned is pretty true, that doesn’t mean we can’t still use our money to fight for good (just look at the huge list of ways you can do so above)! Economic sustainability refers to the ways in which we can support “good economic growth” — that is, growth which doesn’t hurt the earth or its people. 

The main way you can practice economic sustainability is by shopping locally! And the good news is, that’s pretty easy nowadays. COVID has influenced most brands to create online shops, meaning you don’t have a reason to support giants like Amazon anymore. 

This photo shows two individuals shopping at a store (wearing their masks, of course!) Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

This photo shows two individuals shopping at a store (wearing their masks, of course!)
Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

There are also so many incredible local businesses and restaurants, wherever you are — it’s up to you to check them out! To start you off, this article has lists for every part of Canada. And as we are in the holiday season, you can use your gift shopping to introduce your friends and family to all the amazing new establishments you’ve discovered recently. 

Also, consider looking for products at your local stores which have the Fairtrade label! Fairtrade is an ethics standard that certifies the fair treatment of all workers in the supply chain. From experience, the products also taste absolutely delicious because they’ve been made with care, by people who were paid ethically and treated the way they should be.

environmental sustainability

A very aesthetic reusable bag photo…which you can replicate by bringing your OWN tote bag to the grocery store to be sustainable! Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

A very aesthetic reusable bag photo…which you can replicate by bringing your OWN tote bag to the grocery store to be sustainable!
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Finally, environmental sustainability refers to the obvious: protecting the planet’s natural resources through our every action. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, many of our typical individualistic environmental efforts have been compromised somewhat by the pandemic — taking our own containers and reusable cups to the restaurant or cafe doesn’t feel as safe anymore. For my part, my takeout consumption has also increased by a lot. On the positive, at least, many of us are travelling a lot less due to the rapid implementation of stay-at-home orders. This is great for reductions in our transportation-based carbon footprint. 

But when it comes to fighting back against environmental degradation during the pandemic through our food choices, there are numerous actions we can take! As I somewhat mentioned previously, if you’re ordering takeout, consider going to pick it up in-person (at least if it’s walkable). Doing so will save a carbon footprint-inducing car trip for someone else. You can also request that your restaurant leave out the single-use utensils and napkins so as to avoid that extra bit of waste. Moreover, taking your reusable bags to the grocery store is still safe, so keep doing that!

You might also consider buying more of your groceries locally, meaning both travelling to small, local shops as well as selecting products grown/produced nearby! Practicing both of these techniques will help reduce your food miles, a concept that argues in favour of reducing your culinary carbon footprint. It’s hard to know the exacts when it comes to this topic, and there’s lots of nuance, but it’s a good starting point. Finally, if you’re located in Quebec, you could check out Lufa Farms, which is a local foods delivery service.

a Lufa Farms fresh produce basket! Consider ordering from Lufa Farms for safety, convenience, and sustainability. Source

a Lufa Farms fresh produce basket! Consider ordering from Lufa Farms for safety, convenience, and sustainability.
Source

conclusion

Well, there you have it! A rundown of many of the ways in which you can eat sustainably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay calm, take care of yourself, and do your best — there’s lots we can all do, but don’t get overwhelmed trying to tackle everything at once. 

As a final plug, I want to share an article I wrote for a project that I did this past spring in another class. I believe it ties together all of the pillars of food sustainability in a meaningful way. Check it out here; I hope you enjoy it! Let me know in the comments what else you’re doing to stay sustainable during the Coronavirus!

with love and sustainability,

– ethigirl :)

“sustainability guilt” and re-centering joy: interview with juliette escande, sustainable food aficionado

Aspen: So, tell me about your history with food and sustainability.

Juliette: I became vegetarian for weird reasons. I started living by myself from a young age and I was worried about how I’d ensure I stayed healthy. So I decided to make a change in my diet. I knew that if I focused on that with a goal in mind I could stay motivated, learn new recipes, and eat less takeout.

Later on, when I came to McGill, I initially wanted to focus my degree just on business. But when I found out about the Fair Trade Corner (a volunteer-run, by-donation coffee stand on campus) I got excited about food and sustainability. That’s what pushed me to change my degree to Managing for Sustainability and make it more than just my daily life. I loved my classes; for one of them we even came up with a venture idea to reduce food waste. I then found a job at Lufa Farms as Community Coordinator, through which I educated folks about sustainable foods and their importance.

Aspen: I relate to what you said about making vegetarianism a project. I learned so much about cooking and creativity, plus ate out way less, during my time as a vegetarian. Could you tell me more about what specifically sustainable food means to you?

Juliette: Working at Lufa made me realize that the most important thing is eating locally -- it’s not only good for the environment, but also accessible and beneficial to the economy. It checks all the boxes. Local usually means less packaging and less food miles. In order to buy with as little packaging as possible, I go to the farmers’ market, which is super cheap and you can bring your own bags. To me, that’s the most sustainable you can be.

Aspen: I agree. For me, when I started out, I thought eating zero meat was peak sustainability, but I later realized it wasn’t for many people for many reasons, including myself. Also, meat isn’t inherently bad for the environment, it’s just how we produce it. 

Juliette: I was once told that sustainability isn’t about vegetarianism, it’s about mindfulness. The moment you become conscious of your choices, you start making a difference. The idea of just one day cutting out all meat is so discouraging and overwhelming. So if I eat meat, am I mindful of where it came from? Being mindful also means not just replacing your meat with vegetarian substitutes, which aren’t necessarily great for the environment either!

Aspen: I agree and I like that. Being mindful is super important. When people feel like if they’re not doing it perfectly it’s not worth it at all, that’s discouraging and gatekeeping. In reality, eating meat once a week is not much worse than not eating it at all. It’s important to shift into that mindset.

With that said, how do you balance taking care of both yourself and the planet?

Juliette: I find that sometimes, even if you’re not doing something by the “textbook definition” of sustainability, there’s always another way to adjust. It’s not about specific rules that need to be followed; we don’t need to be so strict on ourselves. Putting all this pressure on yourself is not worth it. For me, it’s more about asking myself “what’s the best thing I can do to reduce this waste”. It’s a matter of adjusting to the situation and not telling yourself there’s a right-and-wrong way. The other week, I ordered from GoodFood because I got a great promotion, and when it arrived the packaging made me feel sick. But at the same time, if I’m broke, I shouldn’t feel guilty of taking advantage of an offer to get $80 off my groceries. However, feeling guilty also means something -- I understand the consequences of my actions. I can weigh the decisions and adapt accordingly.

Aspen: Completely agree. I wrote a recent article about how HelloFresh helped me. Although I feel awful about the packaging and not cooking from scratch or local, I’ve been eating healthy meals and I’ve been more satisfied with myself.

Juliette: And you actually end up wasting less food! 

Aspen: Yes, exactly! And I feel like we don’t talk enough about the mental health impact of all this sustainability guilt. If you’re feeling guilty about how your individual decisions are destroying the environment all the time, that’s really unhealthy. Ensuring all our purchases are sustainable is an unfair expectation. It’s important to balance what sorts of pressures we’re putting on ourselves, and whether they’re actually productive.

What’s a main tip you’d give to someone looking to make their diet more sustainable?

Juliette: Go to the farmers’ market! It’s hard to stay connected to our food. For me, sometimes food is just like brushing my teeth - something I need to do today. It can be hard to find excitement about cooking, and on top of that I also need to be sustainable? There’s no joy left. Finding pleasure in food is what makes it so much fun. With my roommate, we go every Saturday to Jean Talon and make it a fun activity. Food is at the basis of changing everything, and the moment you eat sustainably, it’s going to taste and feel better. It’s finding a way to make sustainability fun; in the long run it will make you happier.

Aspen: Wow. For me too. Food and cooking changed my life. Discovering that as a hobby, something to look forward to and build a routine around. Finding pleasure in my food, sustainability, doing right by the planet, feeling connected to food and purchases in general is a radical act. Our current systems have divided us from who makes our products. Reclaiming those connections is a beautiful thing. 

Juliette: It goes with the rules we talked about. If you put rules on your eating, you make it less fun. If you actually start enjoying what you eat, you naturally become more mindful of it. They go hand-in-hand. 

Aspen: yes - just trying to find ways to take the “chore” aspect out of it and make it more enjoyable. 

OK, last question: what are your favourite sustainable restaurants and stores?

Juliette: Here’s a list:

how to (actually) eat more sustainably!

The article below I originally wrote and published for CCOM 315: Writing the Internet, a class I’m taking at McGill University currently. I hope you enjoy!

In the times we’re living in, one question that’s on all of our minds is this: how can I feel less resigned to the fate of the world? 

Things are undeniably scary. Wildfires are raging, sea levels are rising, air pollution is increasing. Climate injustice is looming, and in spite of our protests, we feel like things aren’t changing.

But you don’t have to feel so hopeless and helpless. Although they may seem trivial, individual actions can make a difference — but they should be informed, too. So what can you do? 

1. realize perfection is impossible.

We live in an age of Instagram-perfect zero wasters, all-or-nothing vegans, and a world that otherwise pushes us to achieve unattainable success levels all of the time. Our work effort is admirable, but it’s resulting in way too much burnout.

Don’t let your altruistic efforts to make the world a better place become so all-consuming that you give up before you even start. Acknowledge that baby steps are important and far from trivial. Every single little thing you do, you should celebrate — instead of beating yourself up for failing your goal of cutting out red meat, celebrate all the mealtimes that you opted for something else instead. 

2. challenge the notion that ‘sustainable eating’ looks only like cutting out animal products.

As we’re all pretty much aware by 2020, plant-based diets have gained tremendous levels of popularity, and for good reason. Opting for less meat and dairy can be excellent for your health, and it’s certainly better for the environment. For starters, according to UCLA, it reduces our individual water use, carbon emissions, and landfill contributions.

But it’s important to remember that you don’t have to go fully vegetarian or vegan in order to be a good environmentalist. And there are many reasons why you might choose not to be. Personally, I was a die-hard vegetarian for about a year and a half, but over this past summer I switched into a much more flexible diet.

Moreover, encouraging everyone to cut out meat and dairy because it’s “bad for the environment” can be unjust, for numerous reasons, as writer Juliana Yazbeck says here. Meat and dairy aren’t inherently carbon-intensive — capitalist and colonial practices have simply made them so through things like factory farming. Second of all, replacing meat and dairy with mass-produced crops like chickpeas and quinoa, and more have resulted in higher demand, and therefore higher use of unethical labour practices. These jobs are often done by underpaid folks of colour. Finally, meat is culturally intrinsic to many, and asking people to take it out of their diets is asking them to surrender their culture. We cannot care about the planet if we don’t also care about the welfare of its people. 

3. look for sustainable and ethical products. 

Like I said above, climate action must have a justice-oriented approach. We must care about the earth and its people. A great way to find climate and ethics-friendly products is to look for the Fairtrade logo: a holistic certification that ensures rigorous labour and environmental standards. Some examples of easy-to-find, Fairtrade-certified products include Equifruit bananas and Camino chocolate.

4. Watch out for greenwashing.

Big companies are catching on that consumers are trying to buy better. But for many, instead of actually tangibly changing their practices, they’re instead only trying to make it look like they’ve done so. This is greenwashing.

You can avoid greenwashing by doing your research. Look up the company: do they have reports on their sustainability practices? What about third-party certifications (like Fairtrade)? You can also check out other sustainability bloggers and influencers, many of whom do product reviews and resource lists of actually-eco stuff.

With love and sustainability,

ethigirl

sustainable 2020 resolutions: my choices + recommendations

Happy almost new year, everyone!

Today is New Year’s Eve, the time when everyone starts to question the ways in which they’ve been spending all of their time over the past year. It is also the time when they make unrealistic goals to try and make themselves feel less guilty after they’ve finished questioning the ways in which they’ve spent their time. And let’s not forget that we’re hitting 2020 this year, which isn’t just another year — it’s another decade.

I’ll be honest: I don’t know how I feel about New Year’s resolutions. They’ve never really worked for me, and I think real personal change comes from other, more internal places. Plus, I’ve noticed they often come from a toxic, self-destructive place. They’re far too often related to weight loss, and maybe have to do with people feeling guilty after holidays filled with “indulgence.” Call me crazy, but my opinion is that you’re allowed to actually enjoy food and drinks and that you can relax some of the time.

Anyway, my only point here is that I think New Year’s resolutions can be healthy, but we need to be conscious about what we’re really trying to achieve, and how these goals make us feel inside. Can we find a way to be happy throughout the journey of achieving our resolutions? Do we have to punish ourselves until we do?

Here’s one of the Instagram posts that got me thinking about all of this:

I wanted to begin with these thoughts to do my part in implementing a judgement-free mentality into New Year’s resolutions and sustainability culture. Far too often, we spend more time pointing fingers or trying to be perfect than we do just trying to get everybody to do some small things, whether those things be cutting out plastic water bottles or writing a letter to a fast fashion company asking them to treat their workers better. So, just keep that in mind here! There is no pressure to be perfect here, and if you mess up, nobody’s going to hate you. Good for you for trying at all.

Thus, this post is a write-up about some of the things I’ve been thinking about as we approach 2020. I included a couple of my personal resolutions, as well as a list that you as a reader (and me myself) might consider implementing in terms of leading a more sustainable lifestyle in 2020.

my resolutions

getting up earlier

I love sleeping in. I really try setting my alarm early on mornings when I don’t absolutely have to wake up early, to try and enforce a better habit, but I always end up staying in bed late anyway. And even when I do have to get up early, I’ll do anything for those extra ten minutes.

I know that getting up early just isn’t for everyone, and I don’t like guilting myself unnecessarily for resting my body and just being a normal person who likes sleep. I also struggle in the mornings because my bedroom gets hardly any sunlight. However, I do know I’d feel better about myself if I had those extra hours in the mornings, so it’s a resolution nonetheless. It’s also why I just purchased a wake-up lamp. I hope it works — I’ll keep you posted!

prioritizing exercise

This one doesn’t have to do with me wanting to make my body perfect. Though I have my struggles with accepting how I look, I never have and never will let it control me. Instead, I’ve chosen exercise for this list because of its mental health benefits. As a past avid runner and swimmer, I know from lived experience how important getting my exercise is to allow my mind to feel at peace — training for a half marathon a couple of years ago practically saved me from a tough breakup.

When I started university, my anxiety got worse than it had been throughout my childhood and teenage years. I think that was largely to do with how little time I now had to move my body. I’ve kind of struggled with making it a part of my life since, and have dealt with the mental consequences. So, this year, I’m really going to make a better effort to get some sort of physical activity whenever I can. The steps I’ve taken so far include already having a gym membership and joining an intramural dodgeball team with some friends.

reading more

Over the holiday break, I’ve come to terms with the fact that my pursuit of an Arts degree has made it damn near impossible for me to be excited about picking up a book that isn’t for one of my classes. But there are so many books I want to read! And though I’m sure I’ll have absolutely plenty of time over this coming summer and after I graduate in a year and a half, I’d like to integrate leisurely reading better into my life and hope I can find a way to do that effectively. Maybe with my newfound early morning time, after my wake-up lamp has worked successfully…?

making time to be creative and to have fun

Finally, although this one might seem like the easiest, I don’t know if it will be! The truth is, I am a creative person at heart, but I’ve occupied all of my time with other things and left very little for my creative projects. And when I do have the time, I’m far too tired or uninspired to make art.

But this year, I’m going to work to change that. I received a camera for Christmas, which I’m so excited to use to capture wonderful moments in the upcoming decade. Moreover, I used some of my savings to purchase an iPad and I’ve started drawing and painting with that. I can’t wait to see what I’ll be able to create using these new tools.

sustainable 2020 resolutions

Now, for a list of resolutions you might consider for 2020! I also wanted to let you know that I created two Instagram Story templates that you can screenshot and repost. The first will allow you to check off the resolutions in this post you’re going to focus on this coming year! The second one will allow you to pledge your personal boycott of fast fashion! The time has never been better to switch to secondhand and ethically-made clothing.

Check out my Instagram account to find these templates in my stories!

Did you know that Black Women Business Owners make five times fewer annual sales than all Women-owned businesses? To combat this, myself and several small businesses are hosting a fundraiser giveaway to generate support for @buyfromablackwoman. How
Thank you to all who entered last week’s fundraiser giveaway in support of Chantel Moore’s family. We are pleased to announce that we raised a total of $260 CAD. ❤️ I will be posting screenshots of our matched donations on my story for tr
In partnership with numerous other small businesses, I’m hosting a giveaway in support of the family of Chantel Moore, who was a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. She was living in colonially-known New Brunswick, Canada with her 5 year-
We have SHORTS WEATHER! 😍 excited to wear these out to my fire escape 😂 appreciating the little joys in these times is super key!

  • Eating fewer animal products

  • Reducing your food waste

  • Recycling and composting more

  • Cutting out single-use plastics

  • Boycotting or buying less fast fashion

  • Buying local, whenever possible

  • Engaging in activism

  • Learning about the climate crisis

  • Talking about issues you care about with friends

  • Spending time in nature

  • Supporting activists and activist organizations

  • Volunteering your time or donating money to charities, political organizations, and non-governmental organizations

  • Buying fair trade products

  • Buying fewer, but higher-quality items

conclusion

Have any questions about any of these resolutions — mine or yours? Let me know in the comments below! I’d also love to know if there’s anything you think I missed, or what else you’ll be focusing on in 2020.

Thanks for reading, as always!

Ethigirl