During the holiday season, it can be difficult to cut back on waste, particularly because of all the celebrating that occurs during the last few months of the year. Tons of extra waste gets thrown onto garbage dumps every season just because of wrapping paper alone, and this is precisely why it pays to go green during the festive season.
Swap Out Your Gift Wrap For Green Alternatives
One of the fastest ways to cut down on your waste this Christmas season is simply to swap out your wrapping paper for green options.
There are all kinds of ways to wrap holiday gifts without using up and throwing out new wrapping paper each year.
You can choose to reuse wrapping again this season or even opt for alternatives, such as cloths or tins instead of using paper that will only end up in the garbage can a few hours after Christmas morning.
Reusable Christmas Trees
Entire markets spring up around Christmas time, catering to families looking for fresh Christmas trees. The problem with this, however, is that a couple of weeks later, the trees are ready to be thrown out, and they could do much more good in the ground. Instead of buying a new tree every year, opt for reusable trees and you will not only end up saving many trees, you will also go through a lot less trouble when the time comes to set up your tree. In some instances, you might just be able to get your hands on a tree that already has the lights strung on it; this means you just need to take your tree home and find the perfect place for it.
Green Foods
Packaging from foods cause a lot of waste and much of this is unnecessary. You can decrease the amount of waste that you leave behind simply by ensuring that you pick “greener” groceries, and this includes opting for products that don’t come with as much packaging. If you want to boost your green efforts, be sure to shop with reusable bags instead of opting for plastic shopping bags.
Get Your Decor at Thrift Shops
You don’t need to purchase all of your decor first hand. Jodi Helmer explains;
Make a list of the things you need and look for them at secondhand stores. At this time of year, the aisles of thrift shops are filled with gently-used holiday decorations.
By shopping at these types of stores, you’ll find that you not only reduce the amount of waste that is created, but you will also save a lot of money in the process.
Inspect Your Proofs Online
If you are sending out holiday cards, you might want to opt to check your proofs online so that you reduce the waste that is created by having your proofs printed before being sent to your address. When you place your order, only order what you are actually going to send out; it might be tempting to order a lot more, but you won’t be using them next year, so you are just going to be wasting ink and paper. Alternatively, you can opt to send out an electronic greeting that won’t take any paper at all and is much more cost effective to do.
The Christmas season doesn’t have to be a time for excess and waste; you can ensure that you reduce the amount of waste that you create through a few simple measures. It can take some time to adjust to these changes, particularly in the beginning, but it is worth putting in the effort when you know you’re contributing to the well-being of the environment.
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