How to have a green holiday season
The anxiety of the holiday season is here. If you feel the pressure, you're not alone. But you may be surprised to learn who (or what) is suffering with you.
Holidays stress the planet
Consider these facts:
• The amount of household garbage in the U.S. increases from 4 million tons to 5 million tons per week between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
• Of the 50 million Christmas trees purchased in the U.S. annually, 30 million end up in landfills.
• The amount of holiday greeting cards sold during the holiday season would fill a football field 10 stories high, and requires the harvesting of nearly 300,000 trees.
But Americans are beginning to see that our resources are not infinite as "green living" and "eco-friendly" have become common buzz-words.
Brian Wheeler, assistant director of UNT's Elm Fork Education Center says he thinks the sudden concern for the environment is due at least in part to rising fuel prices.
"Environmentalists have been talking about sustainability for decades but the message has mostly fallen on deaf ears," Wheeler says. "It's difficult for many Americans to conceive of our vast resources as finite, but somehow as gas prices inch closer to $3 a gallon, we have become much more aware of the laws of supply and demand."
To do your part to reduce waste and cut the strain on our natural resources, here are some for eco-friendly gift ideas, gifts that are easy on the earth and on your bank account, and all around green holiday festivity ideas.
Eco-friendly gift ideas
Here is our list of 10 gifts that give back to, or at least don't take from, the environment:
1. Anything recycled or repurposed (handbags made from candy wrappers, coasters made from vinyl LPs, picture frames made from bike chains, etc.)
Reusing items reduces waste, reduces items added to landfills and reduces use of nonrenewable resources.
2. Reusable shopping totes
Reduces use of plastic and paper shopping bags that deplete trees and fill up landfills.
3. Grow-your-own tree kits
Reduces carbon monoxide and replaces trees lost to industry, manufacturing and urban sprawl.
4. Solar powered gadget chargers
Reduces toxic batteries that end up in landfills and pollute ground water.
5. Carbon offsetting from Terrapass.com
Terrapass helps you calculate your annual carbon footprint and when you purchase a Terrapass membership, your fee helps fund carbon reduction projects.
6. Organic clothing
Reduces use of pesticides and herbicides that pollute groundwater.
7. A book of green living ideas, such as The Green Book
Helps others learn ways to live greener.
8. A composting system
Eliminates the need for chemical garden fertilizers.
9. Organic herb growing kit
Promotes healthy eating and reduces the need for chemical garden fertilizers.
10. Reusable personal water bottle
Reduces the number of plastic containers that end up in landfills, along roadsides and in bodies of water.
Gift alternatives to be green and save green
The holiday season tends to be the most expensive time of the year for most Americans. Here are some gift ideas that are kind to the environment, because they reduce or eliminate the exchange of manufactured or printed goods, and also are kind to your budget.
1. Give the gift of your time
Carve time out of your life to spend one-on-one with a spouse, parent, child, sibling or friend.
2. Give the gift of your services
Everyone can use a helping hand. New parents could use help with cooking, laundry or babysitting. An elderly neighbor might need help with household projects. A co-worker may need someone to care for pets while they are out of town.
3. Give the gift of your talents
Write a poem, compose a song, bake a cake or paint a picture. Your one-of-a-kind original work is sure to be a hit with those who love you most.
4. Take your friends and family members off junk mail lists
5. Help a friend or family member start recycling, composting or plant an organic garden.
Looking for more ways to be environmentally friendly this holiday season?
More earth-friendly things to consider as you plan for the holidays:
• Buy a potted Christmas tree and replant it after the holidays. (You can also have a tree planted elsewhere in someone's honor through American Forests.)
• Instead of using new wrapping paper, reuse old paper—the Sunday comics section, old maps, decorated brown grocery bags, or a colorful piece of fabric.
• Use real plates, silverware, stemware and napkins instead of disposables at your holiday buffet party. It's classy and won't fill up the landfills.
• Serve organically grown or raised foods at your holiday party.
• Send holiday cards made from recycled paper or consider sending your holiday greetings electronically this year.
