The Sustainable Angler: 2019 Gift Guide

Rick Crawford

Are you looking for the perfect gift to give to The Sustainable Angler in your life who is nearly impossible to shop for? If you are going to give a gift, you mine as well give gifts that make a positive impact, right? Personally, the older I get, the less I need and now realize that I am “that person” in my family who is so hard to shop for, so I am also including some ways to shop for “that person” in your family too…

For The Sustainable Angler: 2019 Gift Guide, I have selected gifts that both meaningful, impactful and better for the planet:

Donate to a Nonprofit.

If “that special someone” is doesn’t need any more “things” then donate to a nonprofit in their name….Are they interested in building a more sustainable community? Do they care about climate change? Do they love tarpon fishing? There are a lot of great non profits out there doing the good work who need financial support to continue their mission’s, so do a little digging and find a nonprofit that you know “that special someone” would support and make a donation in their name. There are way too many great nonprofits to list, but here are some of my personal favorites:

Charleston: Charleston Waterkeeper, Lowcountry Land Trust and The Sustainability Institute.

Climate Change: Conservation Hawks and Protect Our Winters.

Fish Conservation: Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Marine Fish Conservation Network, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and Save Bristol Bay.

I could literally list 100’s more great and deserving nonprofits that are working diligently, but this is just a few that come to mind.

Plant a Tree.

I love the quote from Thomas Fuller, “He that plants trees loves others beside himself.” Planting trees cleans our air, protects our drinking water and is a natural solution to climate change, so if that sounds like a gift someone you know would appreciate, then you can plant trees in their name through the Arbor Day Foundation who is on a mission to plant 20 million trees by 2020! The trees will be planted in either Chippewa National Forest, or Custer-Gallatin National Forest in Montana.

Buy Local.

Did you know that buying local has a multiplier effect in your local community? In fact, according to The Guardian, spending $100 at an independent business equals $68 in local economic activity vs. spending $100 at a big box retailer equals only $48 in local economic activity. The article goes on to say the buying local also is better for the environment as local independent “makers” are much more likely to reuse materials which conserves resources. So, support your local fly shop and local economy by buying local!

Support Purpose-Driven Brands.

Supporting purpose-driven brands is a great way to “vote with your dollars” by demanding products that socially and environmentally responsible. Here’s a few gift ideas…

RepYourWater is using their business to solve social and environmental problems and case in point is that they just released their ethically sourced and organic cotton flannels that will definitely make an excellent gift for any angler who wants to support a truly purpose-driven brand. RepYourWater donates 3% of their annual sales to 17 different nonprofit conservation partners, has gone zero waste to landfill & offset 100% of their greenhouse gas emissions from their HQ in Colorado! They are now taking the next step by digging into their supply chain to ensure their new flannels are ethically sourced and made from organic cotton and recycled materials. Visit www.repyourwater.com to discover tons of great gifts.

Flood Tide Co. is another brand that is working to solve environmental problems by donating 1% of their annual sales to Charleston Waterkeeper as part of their 1% for the Planet membership and have also released t-shirts and solar shirts made with Repreve fabrics which are made from recycled plastic water bottles and also have recently released their Kids T’s which are made with organic cotton and recycled polysester as well! Visit www.floodtide.com to do some Good Clean Livin!

Loon Outdoors makes a variety of fly fishing products such as fly tying tools, indicators, floatants and sinkets and what makes them a great gift for a “Sustainable Angler” is that Loon recently became a 1% for the Planet Member and they also take the impact their product has on the environment. For example, instead of lead weights, which is bad for the environment, Loon offers a non-toxic alternative with their Camo Drops that are made from tin. Visit www.loonoutdoors.com to find more products that help you fish with a conscience.

Monic Fly Lines is another great example of a product that is better for the environment by not using harmful and toxic PVC coatings in their fly lines. Additionally, Monic offers a 25% discount for fly lines that are returned for recycling keeping their fly lines out of the landfill. Speaking of keeping trash out of the landfill, Monic also uses recyclable cardboard packaging and an added bonus is that they are Made in USA. If you are looking for a durable fly line with improved environmental performance, then look no further than Monic Fly Lines. Visit www.monic.com to learn more about their fly lines.

I hope this Gift Guide helps you find something special for The Sustainable Angler in your life, whether it’s donating to a nonprofit, planting trees, buying local or supporting purpose-driven brands there are lots of ways to give gifts that are meaningful, impactful and better for the planet! Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holiday…Cheers!