December is here and so is the holiday season! The holiday season is the perfect time to spend quality time with family and friends. Unfortunately, the holiday season is also the season with the biggest carbon footprint.
The average household’s waste increases by 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s!
Here are three things you can do to have a more sustainable holiday season.
- Reusing Gift Bags/Biodegradable Packaging
Every year millions of presents are wrapped in wrapping paper that will be thrown out as soon as the gift is unwrapped. This year try reusing a gift bag you already have (you definitely have at least one hiding in a closet).
If you are in the market for new holiday packing, some companies offer eco-friendly packaging. Botanical Paperworks offers plantable boxes. Plantable boxes are biodegradable boxes with seeds in the packaging. Instead of throwing out the box, the recipient can plant the box instead.
Botanical Paperworks also offers a variety of plantable cards, gift tags and ornaments.
- Thrift A Gift
An estimated five billion pounds of holiday gifts end up in landfills each year. Thrifting a gift is a great alternative to buying something new. Shopping at thrift stores is the perfect way to find a unique gift that your friends and family are bound to appreciate.
- Have an Eco-Friendly Meal
Livestock production amounts to 14.5% of human-caused carbon emissions. This year try substituting one of your favorite holiday dishes for a non-meat alternative. If you need sustainable meal inspiration, Halle Burns (@ballehurns) is a vegan TikToker who teaches what to do with leftovers and offers vegan substitutes for traditionally non-vegan meals.
Hopefully one of these ideas will help you have a more festive and sustainable holiday season!