Make it an earth – Part 6
Are you dreaming of a greener Christmas this year? If you’re tired of the over consumption and environmental blindness that takes over our society every December, there are things you can to lessen your impact without compromising your family traditions.
Feasts: Make out your grocery lists early so you have time to look for locally produced products. Even better, impress visiting friends and family with a menu built around locally produced foods. The less distance your food travels, the fresher it is and the less fuel goes into getting it to your table.
On days you do a lot of cooking, turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees. The oven will compensate, saving a little energy. If you have no small children or overly curious pets in the house, leave the oven door cracked open when the food comes out, making the most use of the heat you already have.
Travel: Consider going out of town for the holidays just once for the entire season. For example, Thanksgiving can be a local family and friends event this year, while Christmas can be the holiday everyone travels to Grandma’s house, instead of flying or driving long distances for both holidays. Limiting travel will save on fuel emissions and save you a little green, too.
Shopping: Shop online to save yourself a lot of time, stress and gas. If shopping with family or friends is a tradition you don’t want to lose, go in prepared. Have your stops organized to save on gas and avoid running in circles all over town. Pack the car with reusable shopping bags, cold beverages in reusable bottles, and friends and family that need to make the same stops you do.
Gifts: The greenest gifts skip the malls entirely. Give a donation to a favorite charity in a friend’s name. Give a hand-made gift that uses your talents. Give the gift of your time to a family member who needs help with a home improvement project, childcare, or just wants to hang out you more often. Re-gift a family heirloom to a younger member of the family.
If you insist on buying a “regular” gift, be sure it’s something useful to the recipient, not something that will make clutter, gather dust, and be in the landfill by next December. If all other ideas fail, edibles and potables, provided they aren’t over-packaged, are an easy, earth-friendly gift choice.
Wrappings: Ripping up expensive wrapping paper is over-rated. Use your newspapers to wrap (reusable) gift boxes. Keep the tape use to a minimum and throw it in the recycling bin after it gets ripped open. If you can get your hands on unprinted newsprint (often used as packing material by people packing up to move), decorate it with personalized images or messages. The unprinted paper recycles just as well, and can also double as tissue paper.
Consider the value of gift bags. If properly cared for, a few good gift bags can be passed among family members for many years, greatly diminishing the paper products used in gift-wrapping. Even better, package your gift in a reusable shopping tote. The package not only becomes part of the gift, but also encourages earth-friendly habits in the recipient.
Admittedly, these are all little changes you can make to your holiday routines, but little changes add up, especially when you encourage those around you to do the same. Just put some thought into your actions and purchases. You don’t have to sacrifice your traditions to make your holidays greener.
