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Presents often involve a long list of materials: wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, and packing peanuts, bags, boxes, and tape–gift wrapping creates so much waste! Besides being an added cost to gift-giving, the tradition of extravagant wrapping makes 

 of waste subsequently sent to landfills.

It doesn’t have to be this way. This holiday season, 11 straightforward and impactful alternatives can transform you into an environmentally conscious gift wrapper extraordinaire.

🎁Old Grocery Store Bags: You know you have extra paper bags lying around. Turn them inside out and adhere them to your present.

🎁Shredded Paper Box Filler: You might have an annoying stack of paper you meant to throw away. Cut it into strips and use it to fill any boxes or bags as a great alternative to tissue paper or packing peanuts.

🎁Jars, Tins, or Pouches: Do you have an extra mason jar or cookie tin lying around your home, waiting to hold something special? Reusing these containers or other packaging pouches is a great way to give these items a new life.

🎁Reusable Bags: What better way to deliver a gift than inside another gift? Invest in a reusable bag for your loved one to use for their next trip to a store. It’s way more impactful than a paper bag!

🎁Fabric: Use any scrap fabric in your home – or buy a special scarf or tea towel and make the wrapping part of the gift! This way, every part of the present is truly meaningful and zero-waste.

🎁Magazines, Maps, and Newspapers: Read the news and features, then upcycle your periodicals in this time-tested alternative to commercial wrapping paper.

🎁Boxes from Deliveries: Let’s face it, you might have ordered at least one gift or two this year. With so many delivery boxes, there is no need to buy more! Skip the wrapping paper and tape the box closed. Jot down a riddle or leave a note on the box as decoration. Bonus tip - if you have a child, let them draw on the boxes for extra flair and holiday cheer!

🎁Baskets: Everyone needs a basket at their residence, right? (Or is it just us?) Grab one big enough for your present and help your loved one become more organized before the new year!

🎁Washi Tape: This biodegradable alternative that comes in all sorts of fun colors and patterns is a great replacement for the classic clear tape that can help spruce up your wrapping and hide any imperfections in your skills.

🎁Scrap Paper Gift Tags: Get creative with name tags by reusing paper scraps. Use anything from a Post-It note to the back of a receipt, and make sure to decorate it with love.

🎁Skip the Wrapping! Let the present speak for itself, and do not let the person you brought the gift work to open it. You do not need any decorations to enhance the gift, plus it's the thought that counts!

But wait! You are missing a gift to put these wrapping replacements into practice. Check out our LA2050 

 featuring 60+ products and experiences sourced from local nonprofits, sustainable makers, cultural establishments, and BIPOC-owned businesses.

The Alt-Green Guide to Gift Wrapping

UPDATE: The match has concluded and all $10,000 has been allocated! You can still support your favorite nonprofits through our 

Today, in honor of Giving Tuesday, we're matching donations made via the 

Over the past 10 cycles of the LA2050 Grants Challenge, more than 2,000 organizations have submitted bright ideas for a better Los Angeles. These ideas are preserved on the 

 a searchable database of all previous applicants and their submissions.

To honor these impactful organizations and the Angelenos who rally behind them – yes, that means YOU! – we're matching $10,000 in donations made via our website, up to $100 per donor.

Participating is simple – just head to the 

 and give to the organization(s) of your choice using the Pledge donation feature. We'll take care of the rest.

You choose the nonprofit, you give, and we match. Just like that, your donation is doubled!

Over our previous four Giving Tuesday match campaigns, we have raised more than $100,000 for nonprofits on our LA2050 Ideas Hub!

How do I find an organization to give to for the LA2050 match?

1. Visit the LA2050 Ideas Hub and search for an organization using keywords, the organization's name, or issues you care about such as “homelessness," “parks," or “voting." You can also browse organizations using the provided categories.

2. Select an organization in the search results to learn more about its work. Browse until you’ve found the organization(s) you’d like to support.

3. If the organization is a nonprofit active in the Pledge donation platform, then you'll see a blue “DONATE” button below their organization information on the left. Click the button to be routed to the Pledge donation form to make a one-time or monthly donation. At this time, donations are accepted only by credit card.

4. Check your email for a confirmation from Pledge that your donation was received and review the information to make sure it's correct.

5. It’s that easy – your Giving Tuesday donation has been matched!

Since 2019, we’ve been partnering with 

 to power donations to non-profit organizations on the 

 Pledge creates innovative fundraising technology that empowers people, companies, and nonprofits to support the causes they care about and uplift communities everywhere. Thanks to 

, 100 percent of donations through their fundraising tools go directly to nonprofits – with no credit card or platform fees.

Your gift will be processed by our partners at 

 will be added on a first-come, first-matched basis. Only donations made via the 

The Goldhirsh Foundation will match up to $100 in donations per person. The match will be turned off once $10,000 in total donations have been made. (Or, if $10,000 has not been allocated before December 15th, 2023 at 5:00 pm, the match will conclude at that time.)

You can connect with @LA2050 on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Threads, or LinkedIn for updates or reach out to connect@la2050.org.

Can I donate to more than one organization?

Yes, please do! Matching funds will be applied to your gifts until you reach your limit of $100. (So, if you make a $40 gift to one organization, a $40 gift to another organization, and a $40 gift to a third organization, the Goldhirsh Foundation will match $40 for the first two gifts and $20 for the third gift).

Yes, certainly! We're only matching that first $100 per person, but if you have the means, there are so many great organizations that could use your support to discover via the LA2050 Ideas Hub.

No, the match is a combined $10,000 available to all eligible nonprofits on the LA2050 Ideas Hub. It is not $10,000 per organization.

If I donate on the organization's website, will it still be matched?

No, only donations made via the LA2050.org site using Pledge will be matched.

Are matching funds available to organizations not listed in the LA2050 Ideas Hub?

No, only organizations listed in the LA2050 Ideas Hub are eligible for matching funds.

How does an organization get added to the LA2050 Ideas Hub?

. The next open call for applications is expected to open in Spring 2024. 

Sign up for the LA2050 Newsletter to be notified about the next Grants Challenge.

I found an organization in the Ideas Hub, but I don't see a donation form. Why is that?

At this point, we are only able to facilitate donations to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are in good standing with the IRS. If you don't see a donation form on the page, it could be for the following reasons:

The organization is a government, for-profit, or 501(c)(4) organization. At this time, we do not have a way to make donations to these types of organizations. You can feel free to contact the organization directly to donate.

The organization has gone out of business or merged with another organization.

We do not have complete data for the organization and are not able to facilitate a donation at this time.

If your organization believes that your LA2050 Ideas Hub page should have an active donation form and does not, please reach out to us via email at connect@la2050.org.

You will receive an email confirmation from 

 within a few minutes of donating. Please review this email and make sure everything looks good. Please contact Pledge for any changes or help with your donation.

It's Giving Tuesday – Double Your Donation with LA2050!

 made to nonprofits via our LA2050 Ideas Hub, up to $100 per donor. 

🎉 Giving Tuesday

LA2050 has been honored with multiple awards. 

Our team is humbled to be in such good company with the other finalists and winners.

State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition, 

Nonprofit Organization of the Year (Growing), 

Bronze - Branded Content - Not For Profit, 

Finalist - Most Innovative Awareness Campaign, 

Los Angeles Business Journal Citizenship Awards

Silver - Social Video for Social Responsibility, 

Silver - Community Outreach for Human & Civil Rights, 

Bronze - Best Local awareness Program for Human & Civil Rights, 

Distinction - Campaign-Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, 

Distinction - General Charitable Organization, 

LA2050 Blog

LA2050 is an award winning initiative!