As Thanksgiving time draws to a close, we all have our sights set on the rest of the holiday season. Decorating, shopping for gifts, cramming festive activities into study breaks, it’s all happening now! Unsurprisingly, the hustle and bustle of December holidays make this one of the biggest waste-producing times of the year. And with the latest climate change report that our current admin is attempting to sweep under the rug, it’s high time we took some measures to have a more Earth-friendly holiday. Here are four simple tips you can implement into your holiday traditions.
Invest in a fake tree
You can get all the glory of a giant tree for under $50, and some come pre-lit! If you store it well, one tree can last through years and years of holidays. The key here is reuse. If you’re buying a new plastic tree every single year, that’s a massive amount of waste. So take the time to pick out a nice fake tree and a pine candle, and you’ll be good to go.
Ditch the wrapping paper
Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of wrapping paper is not recyclable. They are often laminated or they have glittery shapes that can’t be recycled. This doesn’t mean you can’t wrap beautiful presents for your friends and family though. Pick up a roll of brown or white paper and get creative! Bonus: after your family leaves the gift exchange, collect the discarded bows and ribbons to use next year.
Don’t forget your reusable mug
When you’re making a trip to your coffee shop of choice for your favorite festive beverage, make sure you have your own travel mug. The fun holiday cups may be cute, but man do they add up in our landfills. Americans throw away 25 billion single-use coffee cups each year. Don’t be a part of the problem. Enjoy your chestnut praline latte in your own adorable cup.
Buy your gifts locally
Online shopping is incredibly convenient. Too convenient. Because all your carefully picked gifts have to take a long truck ride to get to you in time for the holidays and they likely require a massive amount of packaging to do so in one piece. Exploring local shops and family owned businesses is way more fun than sitting on your laptop at home, it supports your community rather than Corporate America, and it’s better for the environment!
As I said, these tips are very simple. However, they require saying, “no” to a hell of a lot of convenience. Making a change that drastic can be hard. But if enough people make the decision, it truly will make a world of difference.