Tips to help you have a merry, and environmentally friendly, holiday season

by Breanne Brammer, posted Dec. 8, 2011

With the holiday season fast approaching, there is no better time to become ecologically friendly. Start the New Year off right with these helpful "green" holiday tips that will leave you "Dreaming of a Green Christmas."

"From Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, Americans generate 25 percent more waste per week than they do during any other time of year," according to Use Less Stuff Report, an organization dedicated to conservation through decreased consumption.

For some people, the living room floor looks like a war zone of wrapping paper, bows and endless tissue paper at the end of Christmas Day.

Paper waste is damaging to the environment as the extensive use of paper products contributes to deforestation. This year, reuse last year's gift bags and save back boxes or make your own wrapping paper. Brown and white bags or newspapers make great recycled gift-wrap. You can even stamp, decorate and personalize them. Instead of spending money on gift-wrap, get creative and cover your gifts in reusable items such as blankets or beach towels.

When you place your gifts under your Christmas tree this year, make sure your tree is environmentally friendly by purchasing a live fir. A real Christmas tree will enhance your home décor and bring nature into your house. You can even pick out your own tree at a cut-your-own farm. When you are finished with the holiday season, it can be planted in your yard as a lasting memory. Buying a live tree also offers you an opportunity to support local tree farms and agribusinesses.

Add natural touches to your tree with strings of popcorn instead of plastic tinsel. Also try using cinnamon spice bundles, dried oranges and recycled ornaments.

Trimming the tree is a treasured Christmas ritual. This year, start a new custom by using LED lights. According to http://www.lightingfacts.com, LED lights use 33 percent less power than typical Christmas lights, which can save up to $10 every 300 hours. LED lights cost around $7 per package, which is comparable to typical holiday lights, however, LED lights last more than 4,000 hours. With LED lights, fewer light strands are required, so taking down decorations becomes easier. To save even more money on your holiday lighting bills, make sure to unplug your Christmas tree and outdoor lights when you are not at home. Limiting electrical use can significantly reduce your electric bill to ensure you will have a "Green Christmas."

According to the Gallup Poll, "Americans forecast they will spend $712 on Christmas gifts this year." Evidently, Christmas spirit will not be slowed by our current recession.

In order to prevent any Scrooge or Grinch-like behavior due to holiday prices, save money on holiday travel expenses by spending Christmas at home. By forgoing the holiday cruise or cross country drive, you save on gas money and less fuel emissions will be released.

Remember that adorable reindeer sweater that your great aunt gave you? After the thank you card was written and you had ceremoniously tried it on (as in "A Christmas Story" when Ralphie tries on his fuzzy pink bunny costume), it might have landed in the back of your closet. Instead of allowing unwanted presents to collect dust, re-gift them. There is always someone who enjoys a holiday sweater.

According to eartheasy.com, "Re-gifting makes perfect sense. If you receive something you really don't need, look for ways you can reuse this gift by passing it on to someone who can use it. Of course, re-gifting needs to be done with care so as not to offend the original giver, but keeping a gift you don't need is wasteful."

Michele Bammer works for the Missouri Department of Conservation and offers ecologically friendly gift ideas for the holiday season.

"Gift options can include trees from a nursery or a membership to a person's favorite conservation organization," Bammer said. "Here in Jeff City we have some really cool nature stores like bird shops."

These bird shops have bird baths, books and seeds that can be given as fun nature related gifts.

You might not see "Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" this Christmas but you can see major savings on your mailing bill. Avoid shipping large Christmas presents, which will save you money and time. Oversized presents cost an increased amount to send and they take longer to reach destinations. Instead, send relatives and friends an eChristmas card, which will eliminate the postage cost. One website where you can design tree and custom Christmas cards is http://www.123greetings.com.

If you do have to ship presents, use plain popped popcorn as a packing cushion instead of non biodegradable plastic packing peanuts. As an added bonus, you can feed the birds after the holidays.

When shopping this holiday season, keep your eyes out for "green" gifts. Look for reusable coffee mugs and water bottles, plants, poinsettias and gift certificates for tangible service such as a massage or babysitting. Homemade gifts including baked goods, hand made clothing, jewelry or crafts can be affordable, heartfelt gifts.

Eartheasy.com suggests that we "give 'battery-free' gifts. According to the EPA, about 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. Discarded batteries are an environmental hazard. Even rechargeable batteries find their way into the waste stream eventually." Instead opt for naturally powered toys to save money from purchasing reusable batteries.

One of the most overlooked ways to practice a green lifestyle this Christmas is through your food choices. It may be hard to convince grandma not to cook a bottomless buffet this holiday season, but preparing excess amounts of food is a wasteful use of resources. The energy and money needed to produce the food, from ovens to grocery bills adds up.

If there happens to be extras, check with your local food bank to find out what they will accept. However, one way to limit leftovers is by suggesting that every family member bring only one favorite dish.

Instead of over spending this holiday keep it simple. Save some green by keeping the holidays green. Environmentally friendly Christmas tips can be practiced in a dorm room or at grandma's house by people of all ages. Green savings will be sure to bring "Joy to the World" this Christmas season.

{back to homepage}