It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... trash cans full of wrapping paper, toy packaging, and unwanted leftovers. The amount of waste produced by holiday festivities is staggering: according to CNN, American households generate about 25 percent more waste between Thanksgiving and New Years, or about one million extra tons. The best way to combat this problem is to prepare yourself, and stop it before it starts. Therefore, here are ten ways you can have yourself a green Christmas:
1. Reuse Wrapping Paper And Gift Bags
Wrapping paper is a huge waste: it exists only to make the presents look nice for a moment and conceal the surprise, but is then quickly trashed afterwards. Instead of ripping off wrapping paper, try to carefully unwrap it and save it. If you accumulate enough, you can reduce both how much you throw away and how much you will need to spend on it next year!
In addition, gift bags are very easy to preserve and can also be used for birthdays, anniversaries, and other gift-giving occasions that occur throughout the year. Store away paper, bags, bows, sturdy boxes, and even tissue paper neatly in the closet and save yourself some cash in the process.
2. Use Minimalist Wrapping Techniques
Some may disagree, but I say there's nothing wrong with a nice ribbon or bow on a present and calling it a day. Also, when you think about it, is tissue paper really necessary in a gift bag? You might not wish to do this for every gift on your list, but even minimally wrapping just a few presents will cut out lots of trash AND save you time. Now the recycled bows will come in handy!
3. Don't Over-Prepare Food
Food waste is another huge source of trash. Holiday get-togethers bring out our tendencies to over-cook. It gets even worse when everyone insists on bringing a dish, even when they are told it's not necessary by the host. If you do end up with a super surplus, offer to send some leftovers home with guests or compost what you cannot finish yourself.
Reduce food waste by preparing a meal that will adequately feed the number of people at the party. Don't cook for 50 if you are only expecting 15. If you are a guest, check with the host to see if they actually need anything, and actually listen. If you are self-conscious about coming empty-handed, you can always bring the hosts themselves a nice bottle of wine or a box of chocolates as a thank you gift. It's polite and definitely won't be a waste!
4. Avoid Disposable Plates and Utensils
This one is admittedly tough. If you are giving a party, the thought of washing mounds of dishes at the end seems unpalatable. However, plastics and styrofoam take ages to break down and are detrimental to the environment. If you have a dishwasher, make sure it is completely empty before the party starts, then do one big run at the end. Wash anything that won't fit by hand. If you can gather enough of your own dishes, mugs, forks and spoons for the party and wash them at the end, you can save huge mounds of toxic trash from entering landfills and oceans for the next thousand years.
5. Avoid Dreaded Clutter
I have discussed in a previous piece the terrible cycle that leads to clutter. Clutter will inevitably become trash. While donation and swaps between friends are a good solution, the best way to fight clutter is to stop it before it stops. If you are worried about receiving clutter, try to be really specific about what you want as a gift when someone asks you, and be sure to ask others what they want and really listen to ensure that you won't be the one giving the clutter.
Some alternative ideas to giving things: with friends, instead of exchanging gifts, take a day to do something together, just the two of you. Homemade treats like cookies and special candies can be great alternatives to something random you pick up at the store. And of course, cash and gift cards will never go unused or unappreciated.
6. Avoid Shopping Waste
It's likely that at some point during the season, you will end up with tons of plastic bags from both gift and grocery shopping. Use your own reusable bags at every opportunity! The thought of using your own bags in a department store might seem a little strange, but you'll cut trash out of your holiday before it even starts.
7. Get Crafty
Going along with the last two tips, cute DIY presents can prevent both clutter and shopping waste. There are thousands of websites online full of ideas ranging from novice to expert. Homemade gifts are often much more meaningful than random junk bought at a store anyway. Jewelry, paintings, photo albums, homemade treats, candles, bath products, hot chocolate jars, and knitted goods are only a few ideas!
8. Turn Down The Heat
The holiday season can be quite chilly in some places. Before you turn up the thermostat again, did you try adding some extra layers, like a sweatshirt, socks, or a blanket? If you adjust your outfit more than the thermostat, you will save both a lot of energy and money on your bill!
9. Be Adamant About Separating The Trash
Christmas morning: paper everywhere, boxes ripped open, excessive toy packaging and wires strewn about. For those who hate clutter, it can be hard to watch all the trash pile up everywhere! While merely grabbing everything and moving into the garbage can out of sight is more convenient, take the time to sort through your trash. Make sure that paper and cardboard make it to the recycles, and save your bows and bags if you wish. Try having two bags out during present time, one for trash and one for recycling, and encourage children to help with the clean up and the sorting. Many hands make light work.
10. Tell A Friend
No, this does not mean scold everyone at the store who isn't using reusable bags. But if you have a really great tip, why not pass it along? If a friend is stressing about how much food to make for the party and you have mastered the art of dinner preparation, why not help? Tell a friend how convenient it was to have your stash of gift bags and bows in the closet (that's a money saver too!). Have a really great crafty gift idea? Pass it on! One person alone can't save the planet from the holiday season, but together we can make a real difference!
