12 Days of a Sustainable Holiday Season

The holiday season for many is a time to reflect on the year passed, spend time with loved ones, and be grateful for what you have as you look forward to the year ahead. A part of this time of warmth and reflection should be loving and caring for the planet as well. The reality is that the holiday season on a global scale has a lasting impact on our environment. On average, the amount of extra waste generated over December is around 3 million tons, based on January rubbish and recycling collections. A few simple changes to your holiday traditions could go a long way in relieving holiday stress on our environment. 

Here are 12 tips on how to have a more eco-friendly holiday: 

1. Rent or buy a real Christmas tree, as opposed to a fake one

   • We can cut more than 30 percent of the carbon emissions needed to slow climate change by restoring our forests.

   • Additionally, most states have organizations where you can donate your purchased tree to be used for conservation and habitat projects.

2. Send email or plantable holiday greeting cards, or make your own with recyclable paper. 

   • The U.S. mails around 1.3 billion holiday cards a year—the equivalent CO2 emissions as charging 22 billion smartphones or 22,000 home energy use for one year.

   • Seed Card Company is a great example of a place you can find plantable cards

3. Simplify your family gifting list with a gift exchange

   • You can avoid breaking the bank on having to buy gifts for everyone by dividing up the recipients and assigning each person 1 gift recipient, reducing the risk of all those gifts going to waste if they end up unwanted.
     
     

4. Buy smart: shop local for gifts - Supporting small businesses helps boost a strong, sustainable local economy
   
   

5. Choose a gift that lasts

   • Avoid panic buying by choosing gifts with value, meaning, or purpose.

   • A house plant, if properly cared for, is a great example of a gift that will last long after the holiday season is over.

6. Choose your holiday sweater with care

   • Most Christmas sweaters only get worn twice a season, which can add to the fast-fashion problem.

   • Rewear your sweater from last year, trade with a friend, or buy handmade, local, or secondhand.

7. Switch to LED lights over incandescent 

   • According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED bulbs use up to 75% less energy, and last 25 times as long.

   • Helps you save on your utility bill.

8. Wrap your gifts with recycled paper or fabric (furoshiki)

   • Each year Americans alone use 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper to the tune of seven billion dollars. Half of that number (2.3M pounds) ends up in a landfill

   • Furoshiki has been used in Japan for centuries, the fabric is meant to be kept and reused over and over.

9. Choose your decorations responsibly

   • Instead of buying new decor every year, reusing last year's decorations is a great way to reduce the environmental impact of holiday shopping.

   • If you do need new ones, shop locally or at antique stores and look for brass/glass/wood over plastic.

10. Reduce your meat consumption, or cut it out entirely 

    • Food production accounts for one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and takes up half of the planet’s habitable surface.

    • Meat and dairy specifically account for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

    • According to A Well-Fed World, it is best to avoid meat altogether, otherwise reduce meat consumption or buy locally.

11. Reduce your food waste

    • Buy only what you need.

    • Turn leftovers into new dishes - if you do end up with more food than you can eat, food apps like Olio connect you to people in need in your local area.

12. Drink sustainably 

    • Avoid summer/citrus fruits, or anything that is out of season in your area.

    • This is another great way to lower the environmental impact of holiday shopping by supporting local breweries, vineyards, or whatever is in your area.