Like it or not, the holiday season is upon us and regardless of your level of eco-consiousness it is likely that you will find yourself consuming more than usual over the next few months. Below I compiled a few tips to help keep your holidays green.
1. Feast a’ plenty
Instead of having a private holiday feast, try to get a group of friends and family together for a potluck – you won’t have to buy as much meat and there won’t be quite as many leftovers that can go to waste. Also, challenge your guests to buy their food locally.
2. That’s a wrap
According to the Sierra Club, if every family in America used sustainable paper to wrap three gifts this year then the equivalent of 45,000 football fields worth of trees would be saved. Some ideas for sustainable wrapping paper include newspaper and cloth from old clothes that you don’t wear any more. Or you could do like my Grandma does and save all the bags and paper from your presents and use them again the following year.
3. Bright Idea
Use LED lights to decorate your house and tree this year. They use up to 90% less energy than traditional Christmas lights and will save you money on your electricity bill.
4. Oh Christmas Tree
Buy a living tree. There are many companies out there such as the Living Christmas Tree Company that will deliver a living tree to you then pick it up and replant it for you after the holiday. If you have to buy a cut one then be sure to contact your city to find out if they have a recycling program before taking it to the dump.
5. Stuff
Give less stuff. Everybody you know already has too much of it anyway. Instead, consider giving consumable gifts such as fresh coffee, bread mix or delicious micro brews. A user on the EPA blog claimed that she and her husband give the gift of labor including household repairs, small building projects and various chores.
Have your own ideas on how to reduce waste during the holiday season? Share with with the rest of the Wend community in the comments section below.
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