Tips for a Greener Holiday
The holiday season is finally here and we all get wrapped up into our regular routines of shopping, decorating and spreading cheer. This time of year is also another great opportunity to make small changes that can help reduce waste, protect the environment and help save money too! Here is a list of tactics that show a commitment to the environment in our holiday celebrations.
LED lights
Now you can decorate your house with LED lights that use 90 percent less energy than conventional
holiday lights, and can save your family up to $50 on your energy bills during the holiday season! LED lights are available at many major retailers, including HomeDepot and Ace Hardware. If you are ready to say goodbye old, glass, large bulb string lights, make sure to recycle them. In the City of Evanston, holiday lights can be dropped off for recycling at the Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd., and Evanston's Main Library, 1703 Orrington Avenue.
Travel
Many of us have to travel to visit family and friends during the holidays. If you are staying at a hotel or resort, look for one that has a visible commitment to environmental stewardship. Try to re-use your towels and sheets during the duration of your stay. If your hotel does not have signs in the hotel room about this, leave a note or speak with the housekeeper. Also, when you are ready to leave your room, make sure to turn off the lights, TV, and turn down the heat. You do not directly get charged for electricity but you can do your part to help reduce waste.
Christmas trees
When it comes to your Christmas Tree, be an informed shopper to help select a greener option. Many commercially sold Christmas trees are covered in chemicals with some growers using 40 different pesticides, as well as chemical colorants. There are now a number of tree-farms that sell pesticide-free trees, so ask your local Christmas tree seller, or search for an organic tree farm near you.
After the holidays are over, about 10 million Christmas trees each year end up in the landfill. The City of Evanston offers a program to turn your tree to mulch or wood chips. More information here>>>
If you are going to purchase an artificial tree, just remember that it will eventually be thrown away and is not recyclable, losing all its energy and resources to a landfill. Stay away from trees that have needles made from polyvinyl chloride or PVC and may have used lead to make the tree limbs malleable. Look for warning labels.
Decorations
Instead of buying new versions of vintage ornaments and decorations, take advantage of the abundant selection of used originals at thrift shops and consignment stores. Ask older relatives or friends if they have any extra vintage decorations you can use. They might be thrilled to get them out of the attic. Brighten up your faded or slightly damaged ornaments with a little nontoxic craft paint. Older decorations may contain paint with lead or other heavy metals, so don't the kids play with them.
Make Your Own Wrapping Paper
Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here's a great chance to get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children's artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
Add Organic, Local and Fair Trade Foods to Your Holiday Feast
Support local family farmers who grow sustainable meat and produce. Not only does it taste better, you'll be doing your part for the planet too. Looking for an organic turkey or ham for Christmas dinner? Find out where to get local green products in your neighborhood.
Another idea is to purchase fair trade chocolate and coffee during the holidays and always. Fair trade products guarantee that the communities that grow, harvest and export cash crops, such as chocolate and coffee, are paid a fair living wage for their commodities. Fair trade commodities are usually responsibly grown and managed, yet another cog in the wheel of being green.
Go green with soy candles
Use or make your own soy candles which do not emit toxins like regular paraffin wax candles that are petrochemical based. Bee's wax candles are another way to being green.
Electronics
In our digital age, electronics are the top choice for most people, young or old. When buying a plug-in gadget, always buy one that has an Energy Star label to ensure your gift will keep on giving, conserving energy as it is used.
For those with batteries, choose gifts that can be recharged over those that need battery replacement. And if batteries are the only choice, extend the gift and buy rechargeable batteries with a charging station — it will more than pay for itself in reuse.
Getting a new cell phone for Christmas? Each year, 130 million cell phones are thrown out, weighing approximately 65,000 tons. Recycling your old phone prevents hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium and lead from ending up in our landfills. The Evanston Ecology Center accepts cell phones, digital cameras, iPods, and inkjet cartridges for recycling. For more information, please call 847-448-8256.
Focus on the intention of gifts
This year, consider reducing the volume of “stuff” that is given as gifts by looking for ways to focus on the true intention of the gift giving custom. Draw names for family giving so everyone just gives one person a gift instead of buying for everyone. Or pick a friend who you know will be receptive, and agree not to exchange gifts. Go out for dinner or drinks instead. If your spouse or partner agrees (very important!), give each other practical gifts you would have bought anyway but have been too busy to purchase, such as tools, kitchen stuff or a laptop computer.
Also consider making a donation in the name of the person you want to give a gift to or volunteer for their favorite charity or organization. Visit Charity Navigator to help learn important information on a wide variety of charities. Remember it is the thought that counts and these creative ways to recognize our loved ones will leave a lasting impression on them.
For more tips to make your holiday greener, visit the Sierra Club, ehow, and Planet Green.