Written by Meagan Doyle, Social Media & Marketing Intern, Texan by Nature
During the holiday season, Americans become more wasteful than the rest of the year, throwing away about 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Check out these five ways to go green while celebrating your favorite time of year!
1. Consider your tree.
Selecting either an artificial or real tree can be rewarding for the environment with either decision you make, as long as conservation and sustainability are in mind. With an artificial tree, it can be compacted, stored, and used for years after. A real tree saves on the production and transportation costs & disadvantages associated with artificial trees. Select a tree that can be planted outside or kept as a houseplant after the holidays. Consider the environment you live in, too, and the resources available to you to properly use and dispose of either option.
Conservation can be chic, too – add some homemade decorations to your tree! Additionally, try to keep energy efficient lighting in mind for your tree and unplug when possible.
Getting in the holiday spirit can be a fun experience for the entire family. If you’re a fellow Texan, check out these Texas Christmas tree farms across the state!
2. Switch up your Christmas cards.
If traditional is more your style when it comes to Christmas cards, go for a green card company with products made from recycled materials. However, you don’t have to fret over writing, signing, and stamping endless Christmas cards. Not only can paper cards be a large waste of paper, online e-cards are easy to design and simple to send out to hundreds (or even thousands) of people at once! Plus, in today’s world of technology, your friends and family will be able to keep your season’s greetings forever.
Check out this review of popular ecard websites.
3. Make instead of buy.
How many gifts have you received that you have now piled up in your closet because you don’t use them? Avoid just buying someone a gift for the sake of giving – you can give in other ways! A little time and effort goes much further in making a gift than wasting money, energy, and materials on a product that won’t be used. It’s the thought that counts, and the more thought the more appreciation you’ll receive.
Sidenote: get rid of those old gifts by regifting them or donating to an organization that will use them! Give yourself your closet space back. 🙂
4. Think outside the box you’re wrapping.
Gift wrapping paper waste during the holidays adds up quick. Rather than spending the time perfecting your cut, fold, and tape, get creative and reuse materials already available to you that are most likely laying around your house! Some examples include old gift bags, reusable tins, or unneeded fabrics from old clothing items. If you would rather wrap, pick an eco-friendly wrapping paper option and be sure to dispose of the paper and related packaging correctly.
Get some ideas on how to wrap and gift your presents in this article.
5. Stay where the heart is.
It’s easy to want to do more and go more places during the holidays with Christmas break and more time off. However, remember that spending time with the people you love is priceless and can be done without taking trips or vacations. Home is where the heart is. Enjoy your time there!
In the spirit of the holidays, it’s easy to get caught up in buying gifts, decorating, and traveling and forget about the impact we have on our environment. Challenge yourself during the holidays to be more mindful of the earth and actionable towards making conservation top-of-mind, regardless of the season. And most importantly, remember that time spent with those you care about is the greatest gift of all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Texas!
Find more ways to conserve by visiting our blog page.