As the year winds down and the holidays come closer, we always seem to add more mess to our already messy lives. According to the National Environmental Education Foundation, Americans collectively throw out one million tons of trash more than normal per week between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. That sounds scary but have no fear! Here are some super simple ways to cut out unnecessary waste during the holidays.
1. Be a good host, bring out the fine china
I know when you’re out shopping for supplies to host a holiday party it can be tempting to just grab the package of 100 paper plates with cute snowmen designs on them along with enough cutlery to last you till Easter but that is not good for the environment. Have a little faith in your guests and let them use the plates and forks this year. Yes, this comes with a little housekeeping afterward, but I find that people respond well to structure and you can probably train your guests to put their dishes right in the dishwasher after using them. Then let the dishwasher do the rest of the work and now they’re good as new with no paper or plastic products going into the trashcan. That’s a win.
2. Reuse gift bags!
You might’ve also seen this idea in an episode of Extreme Cheapskates, but hey, this strategy is a win in all respects. Personally, I’ve kept and reused dozens of gift bags, boxes, and even tissue papers in my day and so far, no one has suspected a thing! It feels great to have one less expense to worry about during Christmas time while also reducing waste, even if just by a little bit.
3. Regifting saves more lives than one
We’ve all received gifts where we had to fake the excitement while opening for the sake of someone else’s feelings, no Grandma I’m not talking about that sweater you know I love that, but what might not be your cup of tea could be right up your coworker’s ally. Make that your coworker, sister-in-law, or distant cousin’s ally. It’s all the same. Now, you can feel guilt-free about regifting things this year because it actually does help out the environment…conservation queeeen!
4. Go natural for the tree
Also according to NEEF, 15 million used Christmas trees are thrown away every year. Try going the natural route and buy a tree that can be replanted. A real pine tree looks stunning dressed in ornaments and tinsel and it adds a real cozy feel to your Christmas decorations. Still, if you’d rather avoid the mess and buy a fake tree, invest in something good that can last a long while and maybe be passed down to someone else when you’re done with it.
5. Give a gift that keeps on giving
Rather than buying a whole bunch of gifts this year, try to really home in on one or two gifts per person that are more meaningful. Giving your loved ones a really thoughtful gift can create more impact and make a memorable Christmas than loading them up with little trinkets they may or may not still enjoy a year.
6. Sustainable shopping bags; we love ‘em
Just like you should do all of your grocery shopping with sustainable bags, holiday shopping is no different. Let’s normalize bringing our sustainable bags to the mall!
7. Unconventional gifts
Along the lines of rethinking your gift ideas for this year, try going one step further and give them something that can’t be put into a box. Go a little unconventional and gift someone a fun experience or a memory you know they will cherish forever. I would love it if my best friend decided to take me on a road trip to a new place instead of giving me another object to keep track of. You can really show someone how much you care by planning out a trip or date and spend some quality time with them, I guarantee you’ll get a better reaction out of them than if you were to give them another materialistic thing.
Keep up these habits year after year and you’ll soon become a pro at reducing waste during the holidays. Once you get into it, you’ll never look back. Happy holidays y’all.