Guide to the Eco-Giver’s Holidays
Vacation season is a time for family, friends, charity, and a lot of waste.
Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year holidays than any other season, according to the Stanford Recycling Center . This is 25 million tons of garbage.
Obviously, a lot of this is bad for the environment. And while we look for ways to reduce waste to help a dying planet , there is much that can be done during the holiday season to reduce our impact on the environment.
Cut back on gift wrapping and bows
This may seem like the most obvious, but it is also one of the most important items on this list. Glossy wrapping paper, bows and ribbons are not recyclable, and mixing them with paper and cardboard in your bin makes the recycling process a mess.
If you can’t resist gift wrapping, USA Today recommends saving your bows for reuse (and throwing away those that are truly unusable), buy plain wrapping paper (no glitter, no metal plating, etc.) that is recyclable. recyclable, or reusable gift bags and discarding the ribbon together (unless you reuse it). Another note, if your Christmas cards are glittering, embossed, or printed on shiny photo paper, you cannot recycle them. One tip: According to USA Today, a card can be ripped to recycle at least part of it. Look for recyclable cards yourself or send e-cards.
Don’t give plastic
So many items are packed in plastic and we can all cut back on our consumption. Instead of giving your child a new toy, for example, or new plastic-wrapped kitchen utensils, try freestanding gifts like a candle or book. And if you are giving a gift card, choose the cash or paper version instead of the plastic one.
Another thing to keep in mind is that batteries are a disaster for the environment . Try not to buy gifts that require them; If yes, then give the rechargeable batteries as a gift.
Give a gift of experience / service
Instead of buying another plastic toy, synthetic sweater, or tech gadget, consider offering services and experiences to your loved ones and friends. This could be a spa day, music lessons, an annual state park pass, a bike program membership, a public garden lot , personalized coupons, etc. Maybe you can show Grandpa how to use FaceTime and schedule the week. … calls, or grandma, how to download photos and albums to your phone.
Don’t order on Amazon
Getting things from Amazon to your door is easy, but also bad for the environment. BuzzFeed reports:
Expedited shipping means your parcels may not be as consolidated as they could, leading to more cars and trucks needed to deliver them, as well as more packaging waste, which researchers have found increases congestion in our cities. pollutes our air, and the cardboard goes to our landfills.
But if you do, try to make all your purchases at the same time and, if possible, choose convenient packaging. The store’s website states, “Amazon Certified packaging is non-frustrating, recyclable and comes with no extra packaging materials.” At the very least, skip the two-day shipping (which means yes, no last-minute purchases this year).
Take the reusable bag to the grocery store
If you’re shopping in person this holiday season, bring a few bags or a large reusable tote bag to carry your gifts with you rather than paper or plastic at the store. This is a little advice, but it will make a difference. If you do use store-bought paper bags, consider making wrapping paper out of them.
Dispose of cardboard
Chances are, you’re not going to be completely green this holiday season. And so one of the most important things you can do is recycle the cardboard boxes and wrapping paper you use instead of throwing them all in the trash. Cardboard, in particular, is actually one of the materials that is easier to recycle if you assume it ends up in your basket disassembled.