December is finally here. Soon, the stress of finals will pass, and holiday cheer will take its place.
We all know that the holiday season is about showing appreciation for the people we love. Still, even the best of us can get wrapped up in the consumerism of it all, with the pressure of Black Friday and Cyber Monday convincing us that we need to shop.
My goal for 2019 was to be more conscious of the impact my choices have on the environment. Recently, in a newsletter from my favourite non-profit, Oceana, I learned that Canadians make 25% more trash during the holidays than any other time of year. At least our plastics and recyclables receive a second life, right? Wrong! Canada only recycles about 9% of its plastics.
These numbers are pretty staggering, but they won’t just improve on their own. Small actions can make a big difference if we commit to them.
I’ve done some research on ways to reduce my environmental and ethical footprint and I’ll be revisiting my own traditions in an effort to have a more ethical and sustainable Christmas.
Shop less, shop better: If you’re buying gifts, choose a practical, thoughtful gift that will last a long time, rather than a gimmick that may be fun in the moment but won’t get much use in the long-term. This means your gift won’t end up in landfill – bonus points for something that can be recycled once its time has come to an end.
That’s a wrap on waste: Wrap gifts in something reusable, like a scarf or piece of fabric (here’s how Lush does it) or in brown paper. If you can’t go zero-waste, try to make sure it’s recyclable. Canadians throw out close to 540 000 tons of wrapping waste around the holidays; that’s easy to avoid with some planning!
Forget the presents: Even better than wrapping a sustainable gift in recyclable materials? Not buying gifts at all! It can be much more budget and planet-friendly to replace gifts with a fun activity.
Eat sustainably: It’s become pretty common knowledge that meat farming is a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions; in fact, the UN reports that almost 15% of carbon emissions worldwide come from animal agriculture. Spice up your Christmas dinner this year by swapping turkey for tofu, or simply by making sure your meat comes from a sustainable, ethical and eco-conscious source.
The truth about the tree: There’s always been some debates about the best choice of tree – real or fake? Research shows that for a plastic tree to be sustainable or “greener” than the real thing, it should be used for 20 years or more. The best option is a potted tree that can be replanted when you’re done with it. If you can’t find a potted one, grab some friends and take a trip to a local tree farm to pick out a cut tree.
Don’t be afraid to get creative! Pinterest is a great place for green-holiday inspiration.
Happy holidays!