9 Best Eco-Friendly Calendars For A New Year

Not so fun fact: I actually forgot to get a 2025 calendar in time and could no longer find one by the time I realized. They sell out at the speed of light! So for all of 2025, I had my 2024 calendar staring back at me on my wall. I’d strongly advise against doing this. I’m the type of gal who enjoys a physical calendar, so it was unnerving using my phone calendar for a good chunk of the year. Don’t be like me. Act quick at the beginning of the year and nab one of these eco-friendly calendars! Best part? Most of them are from small businesses, or non-profits!

FYI, this is a guest post written by Sydney Montagna, a zero waste advocate and aspiring writer. Intro was written by Ariana Storniolo. This post contains affiliate links. This means if you choose to purchase one of these items, I will make a very small commission at no extra charge to you. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

9 Best Eco-Friendly Calendars For A New Year

What is an eco-friendly calendar?

An eco-friendly calendar is any calendar made from sustainable materials, printed with eco-conscious methods to minimize environmental impacts. 

Reasons to pick an eco-friendly calendar over a conventional one include:

• Lower carbon footprint
• Reduces waste
• Made with sustainable materials
• Responsible manufacturing
• Supports good causes/charities

Notable key features in some eco-friendly calendars include:

• Sustainable paper– This includes paper that is made from sugar cane, wheat, and agricultural waste. As well as recycled and FSC-certified paper. These options are easily recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable.
• Reduced waste– Sustainable materials allow for easier recycling/disposing, further limiting the amount of waste being dumped in landfills. Some calendars can even be reused if they’re written on with erasable utensils.
• Certifications– Brands with third party sustainability certifications, such as FSC- certified or certified B-Corp, indicate responsible resource use. This means they prioritize energy efficiency, fair labor practices, pollution reduction, and much more.
• Better materials– Calendars printed with natural, non-toxic inks are less harmful to the environment and make recycling/composting much safer. Aim for water, soy, or vegetable based inks.

Keeping these important factors in mind, it’s easier than one may think to find a calendar that adheres to sustainable environmental standards.

Why are conventional calendars considered wasteful?

Conventional calendars are known to be very wasteful because they’re almost always lined with plastic that’s difficult to recycle and get thrown out at the end of their short, year-long lifespan. Between lamination, glitter, foil, and toxic glue, conventional calendars are an amalgamation of pure landfill waste. The creation of these types of calendars also use fossil fuels that release toxic chemicals into the environment. They release microplastics into the environment, contaminating nature and our waterways.

Advent calendars are a whole other conundrum worth talking about. In 2019, there were an estimated 16.5 million advent calendars in circulation containing single-use plastics. They’re no longer being made out of cardboard, but mostly a mix of plastic and silver foil. Since recycling them tends to result in higher costs, companies have found it more economically viable to burn to dump them. Attempts to recycle these disposable, plastic boxes in household recycling bins ends up getting them rejected because they’re a mix of materials that are deemed contaminated.

The best solution will always be to consider the most eco-friendly option- whether that includes plantable paper, looking for sustainable certifications, or reusing old advent calendar boxes for the beginning of new family traditions. 

Photo credit: Brooklyn Swenson

Photo credit: Rachel Pohl Art

Photo credit: Botanical Paperworks

Photo credit: TinyFootPrintCo

Photo credit: Brown Trout

Photo credit: Little Green Paper Shop

Photo credit: Lore Pemberton

Photo credit: Palomacy

So, what do you think of these eco-friendly calendars? Which are you hanging on your wall? Let me know in the comments!

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