Ditch the Glitter: Zero-Waste Greetings Cards

Birthdays are simple – the day we are born. But this has created a plastic-fuelled industry of tat, for mass industry to make more profits, and the planet to suffer.

This happy birthday lovely human is a nice card to give to someone on their special day. Save it to give to a brilliant friend, parent or colleague who deserves a little appreciation this year. The bold typography, means this message will not be missed!

Only send plantable cards to pet-free homes, as many contain toxic herbs and wildflowers. Also most companies use non-native seeds, which are not good for local birds and wildlife. 

Use with zero waste gift wrap. Also read up on keeping pets safe at Christmas (many plants including holly, mistletoe and poinsetta are unsafe).

Nobody’s saying not to give a nice gift on a birthday – this can be an experience (a day out at an art gallery or museum, a nice meal out or a trip to the cinema). But try to resist the huge consumerist binge mindset, of spending hundreds of pounds on gifts, just because someone is a year older!

Zero waste ideas for someone’s birthday

You don’t need to ‘buy anything’, as most people would likely just prefer a nice forest walk or ‘experience’, rather than a physical gift. Here are a few ideas:

• Visit a local art gallery together (many are free)
• Take a nice nature walk together, time to just be.
• Visit a local botanical garden or ‘open garden’.
• A luxury spa day at a local beauty salon
• Vegan afternoon tea at a local hotel
• Watch a film at an independent cinema
• Take a trip to the local theatre or comedy venue.

A pack of eco-friendly birthday cards

This pack of twelve eco-friendly greetings cards not only features adorable art, but everything is printed on recycled card, and sold in plastic-free packaging. This helps to save trees (which provide food and shelter for birds and wildlife). By purchasing a whole pack, you always have a card to hand, when the occasion arises.

Although FSC-certified card is from ‘sustainable forests’, this still means old growth trees are cut down to make way for fast-growing plantations that use pesticides and don’t give food or shelter to birds and wildlife.

Each card is also printed using vegetable inks, and made with green energy. The clear bags are biodegradable made from corn starch, to naturally break down in the bin. From original artwork by artist Emily Lee.

A pack of eco-friendly children’s greetings cards

This pack of twelve eco-friendly greetings cards for children is just as lovely!

Avoid balloons at children’s parties

These have become very popular of late, with companies like McDonald’s making a fortune for holding themed parties so children can eat junk food and get gifts they don’t really want or need.

Many birthday parties use balloons, which cause havoc for wildlife (including endangered sea turtles, as most balloons end up in the sea, where they look like jellyfish – a sea turtle’s favourite food). There are plenty of alternatives to party balloons, to avoid balloon releases.

Little Difference recycled greetings cards

Little Difference is a fantastic company that produces greetings cards on recycled card (the company is co-founded by an artist from Isle of Wight). Although now based in New Zealand, the cards for UK shipping addresses are printed in Kent, to save on air miles.

Instead, this company uses profits to help fund tree-planting projects in deforestation-risk countries like Madagascar, home to more unique species than anywhere else on earth.

Although FSC-certified card is from ‘sustainable forests’, this still means old growth trees are cut down to make way for fast-growing plantations that use pesticides and don’t give food or shelter to birds and wildlife.

You can shop by occasion (including Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, any occasion (!), sympathy, new baby, new home, children, father’s day, weddings and thank you cards. Multi-packs are also sold, to stock up!

All are designed by our Isle of Wight native, and all the ‘boring stuff’ is done her husband (accounts etc). Another couple have also come on board, so this is a real ambitious project, to change the plastic-wrapped, tree-chopping-down, not-doing-much-but-make-profits greetings card industry (which often includes glitter that can’t be recycled and contains microplastics).

Wholesale orders are also available, so cards printed in Kent can be sold in independent shops. It can also offer custom designs and wedding stationery on request.

Little Difference also offers lovely calendars and fun art prints for children’s walls (both printed on recycled card and sent in compostable packaging).

Plus there are standard recycled cards (not reusable) but still use up waste paper.

A pack of Scandi-style eco greetings cards

This pack of eco-friendly Scandi art greetings cards is sold in sets of 5, 10 or 20. Printed on recycled card, and sent in plastic-free eco-friendly packaging.

Greentings Reusable Greetings Cards

Greentings is a wonderful company that produces pretty reusable greetings cards. All are made with post-consumer waste (to save trees) and come with removable inserts and envelopes, so the cards can be reused to send again!

When you normally receive a card, you have to throw it away or recycle it, due to the person sending it having written a message. Now you just remove that part, pop in a new insert and send it to someone else. You can even use the card passport to follow the card’s journey around the world! 

Made in England, a tree is planted for each card bought. Run by a small family business, postage is just 50p (no matter how many cards you buy). Corporate accounts are available.