Tackle the Holidays Sustainably
When it comes to the holidays, the way to tackle them sustainably doesn’t change from how we should always approach sustainability: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE. You can apply this mindset to almost anything – holidays included.
Décor
DIY is where we’re going with this one, but you don’t have to be the craftiest person out there to make these options work.
Making your own dried citrus ornaments is one of the easiest (and also least expensive) ways to have lovely, natural décor on the tree and around your home. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit all work beautifully.
1. Preheat oven to 185 degrees
2. Slice fruit thinly (you can also slice them a day before to allow them to air dry prior to drying them in the oven)
3. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet
4. Bake for 3-4 hours, flipping them every 30 minutes to make sure they dry evenly
Most wreaths found in stores are made with plastic materials, which mean they come from a non-renewable resource and will never biodegrade. But you can create a holiday wreath with foraged materials instead. All you need is some foraged flora, a circular wire frame, and floral wire.
Christmas Trees
Once it’s time to take that gorgeous tree down, there are a number of places you can bring your tree to be turned into mulch, rather than just throwing it out. CHaRM (The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials) and Home Depot both accept trees in January. They will chip your trees and transform them into mulch. This keeps trees out of our landfills and allows them to serve another purpose. Make sure to remove all lights and ornaments and avoid materials like flocking spray, which make trees un-recyclable.
Gift Wrapping
Shiny, metallic, velvet, and glitter covered wrapping papers are not recyclable. Keep them out of your recycling bin and, if you do opt to use these types of paper, try to keep and reuse the paper where possible.
We’ve all got that drawer of old gift bags somewhere in our house. Reusing those bags as many times as possible, instead of trashing them right away, is a great option to help reduce your consumption.
Wrapping your gifts in paper grocery bags or old newspaper can be surprisingly charming. Bonus: you’re reusing something you already own and they’re both recyclable.
Gift Giving
Consider giving less material “stuff” and opt for gifting digital subscriptions, gift cards to restaurants, experiences (cooking lessons, an Airbnb gift card, concert tickets), or a membership to a museum or for a service (giving the gift of CompostNow would certainly put you on the nice list!).
Just remember the 3 R’s (REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE) & have yourself a merry, sustainable holiday season!
