What better time than “the season of giving” to give some real thought to creating a festive, meaningful holiday that also nurtures our planet? Taking some healthy action—however small—will make your feel great and also sets an important example for your children. And in these challenging economic times, if you can save money too, why not? For example:
Buy a Real Tree
A live tree creates a special energy in your home, and planting it after the holiday can be a new tradition. Artificial trees are best avoided, not only because they’re difficult to recycle, but also because they off-gas potentially carcinogenic chemicals. And they certainly lack that luscious evergreen scent. If you must cut down a tree, seek out eco-friendly tree farmers near you. Visit LocalHarvest or GreenPromise. The Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers (CECG) ensures that growers are utilizing sustainable farming practices in the production of Christmas trees. After the holiday, please don’t throw it on the street! Visit Earth911.com for a tree-recycling center near you.
Skip the Mall Frenzy
A new way to look at the “season of giving” is that less really is more. Many families simply pick a name, so each person has just one primary gift to buy. Setting a cost limit is a great idea too. Other families focus on the children, minimizing items adults may not even want or need. Gifts from the heart are much appreciated, especially anything handmade. If you can knit, assemble gift baskets, crochet, sew, scrapbook, arrange photo albums, draw or paint, sculpt, quilt, cook or bake, can or preserve foods, work with wood, or have a way with plants and flowers, the options for unique, inexpensive gifts abound. Plan ahead for 100% hand crafted gifts next year!
Buy Fair Trade gifts
If you do buy gifts, selecting Fair Trade Certified items guarantees a high quality, environmentally friendly product, produced with an emphasis on sustainable planet-saving methods. Everyone wins! And there are countless Fair Trade gift options—coffee, tea, chocolate and other foods, jewelry, crafts, clothing and more. Easy on-line resources to get you started include:
http://www.thehungersite.com/ https://shop.therainforestsite.com/storehttp://www.globalexchangestore.orghttp://www.greenmountaincoffee.com/shop/OurCoffees/FairTradeOrganic
http://www.divinechocolateusa.com
Nix the Wrapping Paper
Did you know that every week between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans produce an additional 2 billion pounds of garbage? Much of it is accumulated gift paper, bags, and boxes, holiday cards and catalogs. A green approach to gift wrap is eco-chic and cost cutting. Brown bags are an easy solution for small to medium sized gifts. After wrapping, tie boxes with raffia (available at craft stores) and insert a sprig of lavender or a fern leaf. Or decorate packages with children’s art, snippets of poetry or quotes, or images cut from holiday cards. Let kids help!
Other wrapping paper ideas include newspaper, colorful used clothing swatches, old blueprints or maps, packing paper, or magazine pages. These creative options make an interesting presentation and fun conversation topic. Offering gifts in re-usable bags is a lovely touch—especially when you choose snazzy ones. For fun, gorgeous eco-bags at a very down to earth price go to www.envbags.com
Celebrate by Candlelight
Conserve electricity and add elegance with candles. Just be sure you’re “burning green.” Old candles may have lead wicks—banned in this country in 2003—and typically consist of paraffin wax, which releases harmful chemicals in your home. Natural, renewable, biodegradable options include soy, beeswax and vegetable wax based candles. For outstanding quality at refreshingly low prices, go to: http://www.candlebay.com/ Look for Therepe Soy Jar Candles for $3.99, Reed Diffusers 4.0 oz for $4.29, Asian Tealights 4-Pc Gift Set for $12.50 or the luxurious Therepe Spa Candle Gift Set for $19.99. Unscented tapers for the table are only $1 each, so try different colors. Create gift baskets by pairing them with cloth napkins, interesting napkin rings, and a bottle of wine.
Give Kids Learning Gifts
There are many fun, educational gifts for kids of all ages. Not only will your children find them more interesting in the long run than yet another plastic toy, the earth will applaud you. In fact, if every child under the age of 6 received an alternative gift, up to 17 million tons of plastic landfill would be avoided for every year the toy was used! Think games, puzzles, school supplies, or cooking, knitting, sewing, craft or ceramics supplies with “lessons” included.
Children with their naturally creative spirits can almost never have too many art supplies: paper, paints, markers, stickers, scissors, crayons, paste, etc. Create a mini “art studio” for them—even a corner of a room is fine—and engage them in creative projects instead of TV. Adults can benefit from learning gifts too, like a 1-yr. gift subscription to Yes! Magazine—all about sustainable living, social justice and creating a peaceful world—for just $20 that includes a great tote bag and the book “Making Peace.” Would we not all benefit from a gift like this? www.yesmagazine.org
Plan for Next Year
There are so many other ways to have a more eco-friendly holiday; I’ve touched on just a few. You may not be able to incorporate everything you want this year, and it may take time to modify long held beliefs and traditions “for the greener.” The key is to start thinking in these terms and planning ahead for a more sustainable way of enjoying the winter holidays ongoing. Buy fewer gifts, decorate with nature, savor slightly smaller meals, consume and discard less in general. The smallest reductions make a vast difference when we all participate. The result? A healthier planet, healthier people, and a healthier bottom line for all. Happy Holidays!
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