Green Christmas: How to Celebrate Sustainably
It turns out “The most wonderful time of the year” is also the most wasteful. Celebrate the holiday sustainably with these Green Christmas tips.
Decorative wrapping paper, festive cards, extra food waste, and used Christmas trees; it’s no wonder the streets are lined with black bags once the big day is done.
Household waste increases more than 25% during the holiday season, with those in the United States producing an extra one million tons of garbage each week between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
Take into account the added energy usage associated with this time of year, and it’s easy to see how the environmental impact of December festivities is so enormous.
To help you celebrate more sustainably this holiday season, follow these easy tips for a Merry Green Christmas.
Choose Sustainable Gift Wrap
While some gift wrap is recyclable, most glossy, texturized, and glittery paper is not. Instead of investing in a single-use product that adds to a landfill pile, choose a less wasteful way to wrap your gifts.
Here are some ideas:
- Decorative tins
- Baskets
- Boxes
- Scarves
- Clothing
- Tea Towels
- Magazine clippings
- Newspapers (comics are always a good one)
- Old maps and posters
- Canvas tote bags
- Mason jars
If you do choose wrapping paper, look for 100% recycled or kraft paper, and minimize the tape you use. When unwrapping gifts, do so carefully and save the paper to reuse next year.
Also remember that like shiny wrapping paper, decorated gift bags cannot be recycled – but this doesn’t mean they should go to the landfill to die. Instead, reuse gift bags and encourage others to do the same. If you have too many on your hands, donate them to family, friends, local thrift stores or charities.
In need of protective packaging filler? Keep your package plastic-free and check out these eco-friendly alternatives for bubble wrap.
Sustainable Gifting
There are a few great things about gifting sustainably: the options are plentiful, it’s better for the environment, and it’s thoughtful – that’s what gifting is all about.
- When buying gifts, look for reusable, low impact items that are purposeful, and avoid gag-gifts that are more likely to end up in the landfill. It’s easy to find eco-alternatives for everyday products, and even novelty items to use and enjoy.
- Gift experiences instead of things. Event tickets, memberships, and certificates are all great gift ideas that produce little-to-no waste and create a memorable experience.
- Homemade items like baked goods, jams, art, candles, and jewellery are all sustainable ideas with a low-waste impact.
- Donate to a charity or organization on someone else’s behalf.
When shopping in retail stores, bring your own reusable bags. This way you can say ‘NO (thanks)’ to plastic and help reduce the amount distributed by businesses in their busiest season.
Santa isn’t the only one busy this time of year.
In the U.S., roughly two billion cards are sent over the holiday season. This equates to about 666,000 trees used annually for paper greeting cards. Even in the UK where about half the number of cards are sent, over 300,000 trees are still required to meet this demand. Reduce your impact by switching to e-cards, share your card on social media, or make a phone call instead.
If you do send cards, choose those made from 100% recycled materials, and avoid any gloss, sparkle, or foil coatings which can’t be recycled. If you have old Christmas cards on hand, repurpose them by removing the decorative front and reusing it as a postcard. Doing so extends the lifespan of the card, which is a a great way to celebrate a green Christmas.
To avoid unwanted holiday flyers and catalogues, post a note on your mailbox asking for no unaddressed mail. If the flyers are addressed, call the corresponding companies and ask to be removed from their mailing list. Worst case, most magazines and catalogs can be recycled with your mixed paper.
Hosting
There’s a lot of prep that goes into hosting parties and gatherings. These eco-friendly tips will help reduce your waste (and stress) this holiday season, so you can pull off a memorable Green Christmas event.
- Provide clearly labelled recycling, compost, and garbage bins for guests to use.
- Buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging you bring into your home. Avoid individually wrapped items, and reuse what you already own (refill beer growlers, reuse soap dispensers, etc.). Look for refill stations in your local community and bring your own reusable containers.
- Use green cleaning products to avoid toxic chemicals that are harmful to your loved ones’ health and the planet. Look for products with a certified green stamp of approval, check for natural ingredients, and find those marked cruelty-free.
- Use your own plates, cups, and cutlery, rather than buying disposable ones. If you don’t own enough dishes, borrow extras, or encourage guests to bring their own. Get creative and make a festive game out of it (i.e. ‘best Christmas mug challenge’). Washing and reusing kitchenware significantly reduces the amount of waste produced at gatherings.
- Serve low-impact, plant-based dishes, and and source locally grown produce when possible. Meat-free meals can be just as delicious as traditional holiday roasts, and are better for you and the environment. Check out these 30+ easy ideas for a vegan Christmas.
- Send leftovers home with family and friends to avoid food waste.
Conserve Energy
When all is merry, it sure is bright! Conserve energy this year by making a few key changes around your home.
Use LED bulbs throughout your home. These bulbs are affordable, conserve energy, and cut costs instantly on your electricity bill – a triple win. Making the switch this time of year is especially smart if you live in the northern hemisphere where days are short and nights long – causing many of us to rely heavily on artificial lighting.
Another easy tip: Turn off all indoor and outdoor lights before going to bed, and look for alternatives to lighting for your holiday decor. For instance, instead of Christmas lights, consider stringing pinecones, cranberries, or even popcorn.
To conserve energy and save on your heating bill, dress for the weather (layers, socks, and slippers) and keep blankets on hand for lounging. If you have a chimney, close the flute when not it’s not in use to prevent heat from escaping, and be sure all doors and windows are tightly shut to prevent drafts.
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
In the U.S., roughly 15 million used Christmas trees end up in the landfill each year where they decompose and release potent greenhouse gases. It’s not exactly a jolly way to wrap up the holiday season.
Instead, mulch or compost your tree and use it in gardens where it’ll provide excellent water conservation and weed control. If you don’t have the space or resources to do it yourself, send your tree to a depot centre to be chipped and used as mulch. Many cities offer Christmas tree recycling services, often with curb side pickup. Check with your local public services for availability and collection schedules.
If you really want to minimize your impact this holiday season opt for no tree. There are plenty of other creative ways to get festive without a traditional tree. Check out these alternative Christmas tree ideas for inspiration.
Follow these easy steps this holiday season to reduce your impact, save money, and have yourself a Merry Green Christmas.