How To Minimize Plastic Usage For Gift Cards

I recently came across an article claiming that “…500 million gift cards equate to ~3,300 pallets of cards or 2,3000 tons of plastic.”

And, yes. You’ve read that right. Those are some jaw-dropping numbers.

But what can we do differently to minimize the amount of plastic that’s used to make gift cards? The concept of gift cards isn’t going anywhere; year after year they’re considered one of the most popular gifts to give and receive.

How To Minimize Plastic Usage With Gift Cards

One idea to consider is an electronic gift card. This is a code that’s sent to a recipient via an electronic platform such as email, text or app. When it comes to redemption, the recipient will provide the barcode to the sales associate or waiter during checkout. The downfall, however, is that an electronic gift card can get stuck in the recipient’s spam or promotions folder if sent through email.

Another no-waste option is GiftYa. This platform allows you to text a personalized e-gift within seconds for any national or local merchant, securely added to your recipient’s Visa or Mastercard. Simply choose the merchant (ie a local spa or popular restaurant chain), select the friend from the contact list in your phone and enter the amount. You can even customize your GiftYa with a fun photo or video. As an added bonus, a GiftYa can never be misplaced since it’s associated with the recipient’s account.

What are your thoughts on minimizing plastic usage for gift cards? Any other suggestions out there?