Sustainable Holiday Cheat Sheet
The holidays are sometimes known as being a period of excess consumption and energy usage. From the packaged gifts, to your neighbor’s lighthouse-like holiday extravaganza front yard, all the choices we make about the celebrations collectively make a great impact on the planet.
We are not trying to “bah humbug” your celebration! Who said you can’t have a wonderful holiday and be environmentally conscious? Here are some tips for adding a dash of sustainability to your holiday celebrations!
Greener Giving
Don't buy gifts just because you think you need to. We often have a mindset that we can only give physical gifts because our culture places value on material things. A nice homemade gift will be cherished much more than something bought from a store. If you do choose to shop, ask yourself whether that person will actually use the gift. Skip the holiday cards this year and just email your friends and family a nice message, funny video, or family photo instead!
Give back to those in need. You can donate items to the ASI Beach Pantry to help out your fellow students. Look into local organizations that put together food or toy or clothing drives. Donate extra clothes and blankets to homeless shelters, churches, and local shelters. Take some time out during the holiday season to volunteer and give back to your community
Shop small. Choose to shop at local, small business to promote your local economy while reducing the carbon footprint associated with shipping items. If you do plan to shop online, plan ahead and choose slower shipping options (as opposed to 1 or 2-day shipping), which creates a lot more transportation emissions. If shopping on Amazon, use Amazon Smile and 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases will be donated to a charitable organization of your choice.
Think outside the box...or literally outside! Instead of getting stuff for friends/family, give the gift of experiences! Go on a road trip to somewhere you've never been before or anywhere to enjoy nature. Instead of consumer items, you can also give your loved ones other "experience gifts," such as tickets to a show or a gift certificate for a massage, or make a donation to a charitable organization in their name.
Less waste, more holiday cheer
Choose greener gift wrapping and decoration options. Start with minimal packaging. Use recyclable or biodegradable wrapping supplies such as newspaper. Or skip the wrapping all-together! Be sure to recycle packaging scraps and reuse what you can. Use sustainable decorations! Grab a bit of nature and craft a wreath, or try some of these holiday decoration ideas.
Donate your old items or unwanted gifts. (Or you can re-gift...but you didn't hear it from us!)
Bon appetit and bon voyage unnecessary waste! Avoid using disposable plates, utensils, and cups. Hit up your local farmers market or your own garden to fix up a sustainably-delicious dinner. Have leftovers? Distribute them among your guests (or not, we won't judge) and avoid massive food waste. Prepare low-carbon, earth friendly holiday meals by increasing the amount of plant-based dishes you serve and reducing the amount of meat and animal products on the menu.
Choose a real tree and make sure you recycle it. Artificial trees are made from PVC plastic, metal and other materials and they are mostly made in China and shipped to consumers in the US. Since they are a mix of materials they can’t be recycled. Christmas trees are grown on tree farms, mostly in the US (which means local!). The trees provide many benefits to the environment as they grow, cleaning the air and providing watersheds and habitats for wildlife. They grow best on rolling hills that are often unsuitable for other crops and, of course, they are biodegradable. They also create jobs and preserve open land from development. But people need to remember to check with their city about tree recycling programs to make sure they don’t end up in the landfill.
Reduce your footprint by using energy more efficiently and sustainably. Save energy by using LED lights and limiting the time you keep house and tree lights on. Carpool to holiday parties and when going shopping. Traveling this holiday season? Purchase carbon offsets for your holiday travel to be more environmentally responsible!
