Gifts to the Future
Happy Day 4 of Kwanzaa! Whether you’re celebrating that or getting ready for New Year’s – what’s a great gift? A bottle of cheer, of course!
Bring along or buy a bottle that goes easier on the future. While the alcohol industry accounts for 1.5% of carbon emissions, many brands are trying to do better. Same for the rapidly growing “no alcohol” drinks segment. Support the best of them with your New Year’s gift budget.
Good, Better Best?
“Every alcoholic beverage has an impact on the environment including greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutants, habitat destruction, and more.” writes the Upcyclers’ Lab team, highlighting that Materials, Production, and Transportation factor in.
Some general guidance:
- Buy local – a nearby maker doing some of the right things may offset the shipping impact of something imported
- Wine requires less production heat than spirits and weighs less in transit than beer – find a local organic variety
- Look for brands making real changes – not just promises – to reduce their climate impacts (eg distilling with 100% renewable energy now as opposed to a future “net zero” promise)
Better Make it Sparkle
In good news, Champagne producers are committed to improving sustainability.
Winners: Northeast US Oyster River Wines Chaos | Southwest US Bonterra Bubbles or Sipwell Tiny Victories | Northwest US Soter Vineyards | Worldwide Moët & Chandon
- 6 Sustainable Champagnes on Alcohol Professor
- 11 Organic sparkling wines featured by Sundial Wine and Wellness – organic is good but not necessarily climate friendly
Better Boozy Bottles
Winner: the most local, most climate-friendly version of whatever your gift recipient loves
- Climate-Friendly Spirits Production is Possible: These Distilleries are Demonstrating How – SevenFiftyDaily goes in depth on what 16 spirit brands are doing to reduce the industry’s climate impact
- 10 Sustainable wineries – read up on what these wineries are doing and buy from them or something similar near you
- Best Eco-Friendly Alcoholic Drinks Brands – Country & Town House features 11 makers making a difference
Better Non-alcoholic Libations
Winner: local kombucha – yummy for those not drinking, and a great mixer for those who are. Natural bubbles and low transportation impact.
- 11 Breweries Making Sustainable Non-Alcoholic Beer – LeafScore presents options to consider
- Check out these Eco-Friendly Non-Alcoholic Drinks from The Dry Goods Company
- Honestly Modern’s 5 Sustainable Non-Alcoholic Drink Alternatives
![Wintry off white background "Bring a Better Bottle" with multicolor graphics of fireworks, a bottle, and a wine glass Also: "[GIFT] #GiftsToTheFuture enough.co/gifts-to-the-future 29"](https://enough.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/29-FB-GiftsToTheFuture.png "29 FB #GiftsToTheFuture")
Bring your loved ones together this holiday season to give #GiftsToTheFuture. Each day on the way to welcoming the new year, we'll share a little something you can do to help make it (and many years that follow) better for those you love. enough.co/gifts-to-the-future
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Laura Fitton, Founder
Founder, Advisor, and Speaker
I founded enough.co to explain and evangelize market-driven shifts that can bring speed and scale to the climate fight.
My approach merges my environmental science and policy degree with my expertise as a tech CEO/Founder, growth executive, author, speaker, and recognized trailblazer.
My research on environment and justice is published in Science and by the Center for Policy Alternatives, and I've spoken at Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, and a great many conferences.