It’s Christmas morning. You’re surrounded by the bright lights on your artificial tree. You and your siblings are unwrapping your gifts, throwing wrapping paper every which way to get to what’s inside. There’s so much excitement and flurries of paper going around.
It’s a great day for you. It’s not such a great day for the environment.
In the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, approximately 1 million more tons of trash enter landfills each week. This comes from items like bows, shopping bags, and wrapping paper.
It seems prudent to be aware and do our part in keeping our world clean. Here are ways to enjoy the holidays while also being mindful of the effects we can have on the environment.
1. Watch your Wrap
It’s a tradition to wrap up gifts with holiday-themed paper. This year, consider using gift bags that you already own from past gifts. There’s nothing wrong with reusing, and gift bags still have the colorful touch that wrapping paper does.
My favorite way of displaying gifts is by using gift baskets. Especially if you bought many small items, you could arrange them nicely in a basket that can be bought from Dollar Tree or Five Below. Not only are they cute, but they are sensible for the environment, too!
If you still want to wrap, no worries! Consider wrapping the gifts with recycled paper and tying bows with twine. Since most of this paper isn’t decorated, this gives you the chance to be creative by drawing, painting, or decorating it how you see fit!
2. turn out the lights
Setting up lights is such a fun part of the holidays and there are a few ways to make them more eco-friendly.
Consider switching to LED or solar lights. LED lights are 90 percent more efficient than holiday lights, and solar power does not require energy. This makes them the perfect choice for an environmentally friendly holiday.
It’s also beneficial to invest in a timer for your lights. Keeping them on only certain hours of the day significantly reduces the energy that they take up.
There’s also nothing wrong with ditching the lights entirely! Candles and menorahs, for example, are great ways to set the mood in a greener way.
3. pot your tree
In some cases, artificial trees are seen to be a better choice for the environment than real trees because they can be reused. However, due to the manufacturing and shipping, they have a high carbon footprint. Each artificial tree produces up to 88 lbs. of CO2.
Real trees avoid this carbon problem. Potting your tree is not only a greener choice, but it also allows for it to be reused for years to come.
4. reuse, reuse, reuse
We live in a single-use society. During the holidays, this tends to increase the amount of trash that we produce. When you go shopping, consider bringing reusable totes with you to avoid plastic bags. Not only do they make you look chic, but you can use them anytime and anywhere. If you keep reusable bags on you, they can help with any spontaneous shopping trip.
It’s also okay to regift something. If you receive a gift that’s either going to end up in the trash or the back of your closet, re-gift it! This saves you money and shopping trips, and it keeps the resources in circulation.
The holidays are filled with so much hustle and confusion. There’s nothing wrong with being excited about gifts on a special day, but make sure you give the environment a gift, too. Go green this holiday season!
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