Your guide to sustainable and fun holiday shopping in Vermont
This holiday season, grab your pals or your family and plan a mini road trip around Vermont.
Whether your goal is to scout for the perfect gift or enjoy a unique outing, we’ve got you covered. We curated a collection of sustainable, low- or no-cost gifts and experiences for you to mix and match. Happy holidays!
Wake up with a fresh cup of coffee
Start your day with a fresh cup of coffee at Mach’s Market in Pawlet. Historic charm meets modern efficiency at this storied market, where the owner, Gib, has taken a thoughtful, incremental approach to efficiency upgrades.
While you’re there, pick up supplies for a holiday picnic later in the day. There’s pre-made food, local cheese, craft brews, and lots of other items for your picnic basket.
Deliver a little caffeinated cheer
An electric tea kettle uses less energy than a stovetop kettle or a plug-in coffee maker. Pair it with a French press for a delicious cup of morning Joe.
Many secondhand stores have a wide selection of perfectly functional electric kettles and coffee-making devices. Your giftee will appreciate your effort to reduce waste this holiday season.
Scout out some new-to-you gear
Go to a ski swap to find used equipment instead of buying new. If your local ski swap has already passed, check out a secondhand gear store in your region. There’s Play it Again Sports in South Burlington, Gear Again in White River Junction, and Gear Haus in Manchester, to name a few.
Put it in your cart
If you’d rather buy new, choose gear from a company with a sustainability commitment. Or check out Vermont Ski and Sport, which has a wide selection of used gear for online shopping.
Help a neighbor
Volunteer at your local food shelf. The holidays can be a stressful time of year. Bring some comfort to your neighbors by serving a warm, nourishing meal or helping deliver groceries.
Efficiency Vermont has partnered with several food pantries around the state to improve refrigeration and help reduce operating costs.
Give the gift of efficiency
Tell your local nonprofits about our nonprofit rebate, which offers up to $7,500 toward efficient equipment like refrigerators and freezers. Reduced operating costs allow these organizations to focus on what they do best: serving the community.
Have a meal at a mom-and-pop spot
Grab lunch at Pho Thai Express, where owner Sam Somchit rebuilt with efficient equipment after the summer 2023 flood.
If dinner and a craft brew is more your thing, check out Black Flannel Brewing Company in Essex Junction. In collaboration with a dozen partners, the brewery went all-in on energy efficiency. They’re saving almost $24,000 a year on energy costs!
Stash a stocking stuffer
Small businesses and restaurants around the state have worked with Efficiency Vermont to reduce their energy footprints. If you’re stashing gift cards this holiday season, consider supporting local spots. A gift card to your favorite restaurant isn’t just good for your loved one; it’s good for the community. You could also gift a membership to Eat Vermont, an app with exclusive coupons to Vermont eateries, including access to secret menu items. The app also has curated “food trails” that introduce users to new restaurants. (“Vermont Pie Trail” sounds like a good place to start.)
Shop the neighborhood for secondhand titles
Peruse a Little Free Library for a thoughtful secondhand gift. You can find one near you by exploring the online map. Or consider passing on one of your favorite books from your shelf!
Bundle your gift
Add an LED reading light, which will allow your giftee to enjoy their new (used) book late into the night without keeping the house lights on. A reading light is just one way to minimize energy usage during the long, dark days of winter.
Get some fresh air
Head outside to enjoy the crisp winter air. Whether it’s a new-to-you trail or your backyard, make an adventure out of it. Don’t forget to pull out the holiday picnic you packed earlier in the day.
Grab one for everyone
Fingers feeling frozen? Try rechargeable hand warmers, which are less wasteful than the disposable ones. They’re surprisingly affordable, and they make great stocking stuffers for the whole family.
Head home
Come home to a perfectly cozy house thanks to your programmable smart thermostat. This handy technology can help reduce energy use when you’re away from home, while also ensuring it's nice and warm the moment you walk in the door.
Share the warmth
If you love yours, why not give it as a gift? Smart thermostats are remarkably affordable. Your giftee could also potentially receive a $100 rebate for installing it. It’s basically a double gift!
Bake some sweet holiday cheer
Is there anything sweeter than baking your favorite holiday cookies? For some extra fun, consider swapping recipes with friends or pulling out an old favorite from your childhood.
Wrap it up
Wrap your cookies in Bee’s Wrap, a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap made right here in Vermont. Or slide your cookies into a reusable zip-top bag which helps reduce single-use plastic. (Many of them are also dishwasher safe). Give your sustainably packaged cookies as a thoughtful gift for friends and family.
Simmer some hearty soup
Use your veggie scraps to make homemade broth as the base for a hearty soup. Gathering in the kitchen is a staple of the holiday experience, and your guests will appreciate how tasty it can be to reduce food waste. Ask them to bring their own storage container to take home the leftovers. If you have to use a to-go cup or box, consider paper or aluminum rather than rigid plastic containers.
Make some magic
This one won’t fit down the chimney. If you’re in the market for a new kitchen stove, consider giving yourself the gift of induction, which is the most efficient and child-safe option. Many Vermont utilities offer rebates to help make a new stove more affordable. If you know a budding chef who wants to try cooking with induction, they can start with a more affordable single-burner countertop version.
Snuggle up and get inspired
Snuggle up on the couch with some of those homemade cookies and watch 2040, an uplifting documentary about practical, scalable energy solutions that can help all of us thrive in a changing world. For a younger audience, consider WALL-E, which explores how we can reduce waste for a more sustainable future, or The Lorax, the timeless classic. If you want to skip the streaming fee, try borrowing one of these films from your local library.
Share a good story
If you love the movie, give it as a gift! Just put a $5 bill in an envelope with a note suggesting your giftee rents the movie. It’s a small, thoughtful stocking stuffer.
