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Earthwatch’s [Sustainable] Holiday Gift-Giving Guide

By Ashley Junger, Earthwatch Science Writer

Finding the perfect gifts for your friends and family can be a challenge. You might find yourself spending more time on the couch scouring the internet or visiting store after store rather than actually enjoying the most magical time of the year. Finding the perfect gift is even harder when you’re trying to give in an environmentally friendly way. Between packaging, wrapping, and decorations, it’s hard to navigate the holidays without accumulating a pile of waste.

This season, skip all the stress and make the most of your holiday by giving a gift with Earthwatch. From helping your loved one get out into the field to outfitting them for everyday sustainability, there are tons of ways to give an amazing gift while helping to conserve the environment. Here are five ways to give environmentally friendly gifts with Earthwatch this holiday season.

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1. Give an Earthwatch Experience

From snorkeling along the coral reefs of the Cayman Islands to surveying owls throughout the forests of the western United States to trekking over the frozen landscape of the Arctic, you can give your loved one the chance to travel while contributing to the collection of critical environmental data by gifting an Earthwatch Expedition Fund.

Expedition Funds are great ways to start planning an expedition. With nearly 40 different expeditions worldwide and year-round, it can be hard to choose when and where to volunteer. But with the Expedition Fund, you don’t have to commit to an expedition right away; the money can go to any expedition within three years of opening. And you don’t have to gift the full amount of an expedition; you can get started with as little as $25. Help your loved one start saving for the experience of a lifetime!

From snorkeling along the coral reefs of the Cayman Islands to surveying owls throughout the forests of the western United States to trekking over the frozen landscape of the Arctic, you can give your loved one the chance to travel while contributing to the collection of critical environmental data by gifting an Earthwatch Expedition Fund.

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2. Gift an Earthwatch T-shirt

Give an environmentally friendly gift with style with an Earthwatch t-shirt. Available in men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes S-3XL, these shirts are a perfect gift for anyone on your list. From owls to whales to sea turtles, the designs featured are inspired by some of Earthwatch’s expeditions. Even better? The proceeds go toward supporting Earthwatch, ensuring that our scientists and volunteers can continue to do their critical work.

Give an environmentally friendly gift with style with an Earthwatch t-shirt.

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3. Donate to the Scholarship Fund

Earthwatch is founded on the mission of helping individuals around the world tackle some of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. One of the ways we achieve this is through our Scholarship Fund. This fund helps to support professional science development for teachers, gives teens from underprivileged schools the opportunity to participate in field science, and helps young women build confidence in STEM. If you’re looking for a way to make a lasting impact this holiday season, consider donating to the Scholarship Fund.

One of the ways Earthwatch achieves this is through our Scholarship Fund. This fund helps to support professional science development for teachers, gives teens from underprivileged schools the opportunity to participate in field science, and helps young women build confidence in STEM.

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4. Shop Supplies for Everyday Sustainability

Give your loved one the tools they need to make their day-to-day life more sustainable. With a canvas tote and a reusable water bottle, you can prevent countless plastic bags and bottles from going into landfills. Earthwatch’s threadless shop has bags, bottles, and more that feature nature-inspired designs. Give a gift that helps prevent pollution while raising money to support projects that conserve the environment.

Give your loved one the tools they need to make their day-to-day life more sustainable.

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5. Give the Gift of Giving

What do you get the person who has everything? Instead of bogging them down with unnecessary trinkets or doodads, get them a gift that keeps on giving: a donation to Earthwatch! General donations to Earthwatch help us achieve every part of our mission. From preventing poaching of white rhinos in South Africa to tracking populations of sharks and rays in a marine reserve in Belize, donations support every project we run through every step of the process.

General donations to Earthwatch help us achieve every part of our mission. From preventing poaching of white rhinos in South Africa to tracking populations of sharks and rays in a marine reserve in Belize, donations support every project we run through every step of the process.

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