Climate Action
6 Easy Ways You Can Celebrate the Holidays AND Save the Planet (Because Who Needs Extra Waste?)
December 18, 2024
The winter holidays are all about spreading cheer, decking your homes with lights and candles, and, of course, giving. But… What if your gift-giving could be greener this year? That’s right—your holiday celebrations don’t have to come with a side of guilt about waste and energy consumption.
These easy, eco-friendly tips let you spread joy without guilt. Check them out, and make this season merry and green!
1. Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap with Furoshiki!
Furoshiki is a Japanese wrapping cloth technique that’s been around for centuries, but it’s totally trending right now. Use old scarves, fabric scraps, or tea towels as eco-friendly gift wrap. It’s the perfect way to wrap up sustainable gifts while giving a second life to fabric that would otherwise be thrown away.
Avoid single use wrapping paper, especially if it is covered in glitter which is a microplastic nightmare, as it remains the largest source of trash during the holiday seasons and this 19 billion dollar industry is largely unsustainable. Most wrapping papers are not 100% paper but are frequently adorned with non-paper additives such as plastic coatings, metallic finishes, glitter, and adhesives. These might look great but they are mean to the planet. Non-recyclable wrapping paper is laden with microplastics, which largely end up in landfills.
Don’t toss last year’s holiday cards! Cut them up into gift tags – it’s a creative, and low-waste way to reuse items you already have on hand.
2. Ditch the Car and Ride the Green Wave
Did you know your car is a carbon villain? The average gasoline car churns out about 0.9 pounds of CO₂ per mile, making it one of the biggest culprits of pollution—second only to flying! And while we love the cozy warmth of a car in the winter, it’s also the season when air quality often takes a nosedive, triggering more respiratory issues.
But here’s the good news: public transportation and ride-sharing are your eco-friendly superpowers! Whether you’re hopping on a bus, sharing a ride with friends, or using a rideshare app. These options slash your carbon footprint while keeping the air cleaner and your commute way less stressful. So, next time you think about driving solo, think green—and breathe easy! Take public transportation and consider ride-sharing
Rail travel emits much less CO₂ per passenger per kilometer compared to cars or airplanes, with only 0.13 pounds of CO₂ per passenger-mile.
3. Ditch the Plastic Trees!
Artificial Christmas trees are plastic and usually manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a non-biodegradable plastic, which has a carbon footprint of 40 kilograms of CO₂, which means four trees need to be planted to absorb that emission during their lifetime!
If you want to embrace trees this holiday season, consider donating to The Canopy Project and plant a tree in a loved one’s name as a gift!
Instead of an unfestive PVC tree, celebrate the holidays with a real tree. Nowadays, the Christmas trees are usually grown in tree farms and not in the forest, which means you don’t have to worry that buying the trees will lead to deforestation. After the holiday seasons are over, the trees can be recycled for mulch, which many cities specifically hold festivals for to commemorate the beginning of a new era!
4. Have Plastic & Waste Free Holiday Celebrations
From straws to plastic wrap, festive meals often come with a MEGA side of waste. Ditch the plastic plates and cutlery and instead, go full-on classy with ceramic plates, shiny metal cutlery, and reusable napkins. Throwing out single use plastic plates after one meal is REALLY bad for the planet so PLEASE don’t do it!
In the United States, it’s estimated that between 30% and 40% of the annual food supply is wasted, with significant spikes during holidays. In Thanksgiving alone, statistics from the food waste prevention nonprofit ReFED indicate that 312 million pounds of food will be wasted, which by themselves create 0.71 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions. In order to not waste food, plan before you cook. Utilizing tools like the “Guest-imator” can help accurately estimate meal portions based on the number of guests, ensuring that the right amount of food is prepared.
Holidays are a season of giving, which means we should think about those who are still unfortunately experiencing food insecurity during this time, which will be especially challenging for them. Sharing excess food individually or through food drives, as well as directly donating to or working at local food banks are also effective strategies to ensure that surplus food benefits others rather than contributing to waste.
5. Don’t Over Buy & Shop Right
According to a survey from the National Retail Foundation, holiday purchases have a 17% higher return rate, leading to UPS dubbing the first Monday after New Year’s Day (when they reopen their office) “National Returns Day.”
Each year, over 60 million packages will be returned and most of these returned products, especially clothing, end up in landfills instead of being resold due to cost-effective reasons, creating 3 million tons of extra waste every year. Consider buying from charities for gifts this year like our ONLINE SHOP. All our t-shirts are made from sustainable, organic cotton made with renewable energy and your buy supports more environmental work.
6. Unplug!!!
When families travel to visit loved ones, their empty homes often harbor a hidden energy drain. Electronic devices and appliances left plugged in silently consume electricity even when not in use – a phenomenon known as “phantom” or “standby” power. This invisible power drain can make up 10% of your annual electricity usage, and can cost up to 200 dollars per year.
Common culprits like TVs, microwaves, gaming consoles, and chargers act as “vampire appliances,” drawing power even when idle. By simply unplugging these devices before traveling, you can lower your energy bills. Plus, making unplugging a pre-travel habit means one less worry while you’re away – no more wondering if you left the TV on!
