Tips to Make Your Holidays More Eco-Conscious
Extravagant spending, lavish meals, and sparkling lights are all usual suspects during Christmas celebrations—none of which exactly screams “green.”
What are your options if you’re looking to be more environmentally conscious this holiday season? Despite Santa’s rocket-fueled sleigh visitation, there are simple ways you can cut down on traditional overindulgence.
Let’s take a look at five ways to go green for Christmas!
1. Experiences as Gifts
There’s a reason why it’s better to live in the present moment. Because fun moments are the best presents! Experiences as gifts such as a hot air balloon ride or cooking classes are way more satisfying because it allows others to participate in something outside their normal routine.
Do your friends have children? Hire a babysitter so the parents can go on a hard-earned date night. Is your cousin running out of garage space? Hire a cleaner or organizer to help him shake off that “Hoarder King” title the family has bestowed upon him.
Here’s just a few more examples:
- Concert tickets
- Movie passes
- Symphony shows
- Skydiving classes
- Home Brewing classes
- Physical trainer sessions
Trying new things creates memories we’ll fondly look back on. Instead of giving people more things to eventually throw out, let’s order less stuff that needs vehicle delivery to reduce emissions and improve overall air quality.
2. Christmas Tree 2.0
Lots of people have a love/hate relationship with the Christmas tree. You find the perfect tree to lug back home (often freshly cut), and then you decorate it to brighten your holidays. Once the gifts are unwrapped, though, you get rid of the tree as if it insulted your mother’s special Christmas goodies!
You probably assume the next best thing is to buy a fake Christmas tree. Despite popular belief, “sustainable” trees are usually made of nonrenewable plastics and petroleum-based products. This is a terrible trend that has proven to be worse for the environment.
The better alternative is to purchase a tree that’s reused and replanted! Depending on your location, local farms grow small to medium trees in containers with their root balls intact. This method causes minimum harm to the tree.
After Christmas, you may return the tree to its original owner or, if you have enough space, become a new tree parent. You can keep your baby Groot until next Christmas—and beyond!
3. Yes, Greeting Cards Are Still Popular in the Digital Age
Over 2.5 billion Christmas cards are sold each year in the United States alone.
You would think the advent of email and apps would have destroyed the need to send physical cards to each other, but the data show many people still value holding actual cards in their hands. (Maybe because there’s a possibility we’ll find cash inside? We hope Grandma is reading this!)
If you’re dead set on sticking to physical expressions of Christmas cheer, you can actually have your cake and eat it too. Enter sustainable holiday cards.
Don’t worry! We understand the point of getting a card—not having to craft exactly what to say to loved ones. Cards made from 100 percent recycled paper or bamboo still have fun and meaningful messages and come in a large variety of styles.
It’s a great way to offset your carbon footprint—without revealing what you really think about that one cousin!
4. A Bright Idea! Saving Energy during Christmas
The US Department of Energy says LED bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional light strings. They also pose a much lower risk of starting a fire. This is because they don’t get hot to the touch, so your wreaths, garlands, and other flammable decorations aren’t at risk of burning up that brand-new PlayStation 5.
Here are two gift suggestions to save energy:
- Smart technology.
- Smart plugs can restrict energy consumption.
- A Wi-Fi–enabled thermostat can monitor your energy expenditure.
- A generator.
- Generators have gone down in price. You can even attach solar panels to slow down battery drain during a power outage.
Remember, saving electricity is also a form of giving, since conserving energy benefits everyone.
5. *Warning: Possibly Controversial* Reduce Travel
2020 has been a challenging year for millions of people around the world. Health experts say lockdowns limit the spread of COVID-19. Naturally, less travel leads to less greenhouse gas emissions, with cars and trucks accounting for nearly 80 percent of these emissions.
Limiting family gathering this Christmas is not only better for the environment but also safer for the most at-risk members of our communities.
Given how much we’re used to celebrating with large family gatherings, this can be a difficult adjustment. The silver lining is a reduction in global CO2 emissions, which is one of the most important goals for the green movement.
We hope these recommendations help you live a more conscious, green life while also saving money and keeping your loved ones safe during the holidays.
Want even more ways to go green this holiday season? Check out this list of 10 easy ideas for a more sustainable Christmas!
