May Your Holidays Be Merry and Green

The holiday season is in full swing, and for many, this is the most wonderful time of the year! From spending extra time with family and friends, to giving and getting gifts, there’s a lot to be excited about. Follow these tips to ensure you are celebrating the holidays in an eco-friendly and sustainable way:

1. Make your own wrapping paper, or go without. A majority of wrapping paper and gift bags are not recyclable due to the shiny coatings, so unless you carefully unwrap your gifts and reuse these items, they just end up in the landfill. Instead use newspaper, children’s art, or old maps to wrap your gifts. You can even wrap with a useful gift, like a scarf, or nice dish towel.
2. Use energy saving LED holiday lights. According to the Washington Post, compared to a 100 mini-bulb string, LED lights use 90% less energy and can save you about $3 per string of lights on your energy bill during the holiday season. In addition, the bulbs can last about 200,000 hours, and if one light goes out, the remainder of the strand will still work, leading to fewer strings of lights being trashed.
3. If you opt for a real tree, ensure it is pesticide free and grown on an organic tree farm. An even more eco-friendly option is to get a tree that you can plant in your yard or a nearby park after you are done with it.
4. Recycle your real tree. See if there are any programs in your city where your tree can be turned into mulch or wood chips.
5. Recycle your old electronics. The holidays are a popular time of year to get new TVs, tablets, and cell phones. There are drop-off locations throughout the state for recycling electronics, just make sure you completely erase all of your personal information.
6. Give DIY Gifts. Not only will your gifts have a nice personal touch, but you can help reduce consumption and packaging needs.
7. Give experiences as gifts. This will help you minimize wrapping and shopping, plus gives you quality time with a loved one. Ideas include going to a concert, getting a membership to the zoo, or even a homemade dinner.
8. Purchase eco-friendly and locally made gifts if you prefer to purchase a retail gift. Look for gifts with minimal packaging, or something made from sustainable materials. There are several local craft fairs over the holidays to find gifts while supporting local artists.
9. Stuff stockings with treats and useful items. Many stocking suffers are cheap plastic toys that end up broken or lost. Instead stuff stockings with homemade cookies, pomegranates, or a nice cozy pair of socks.