Dreaming of a Green Christmas

1.       Green Christmas Tree

Choose a real over an artificial tree. This may be a surprise, but it is true. Most artificial trees are manufactured in China. Think about the pollution caused by transporting them by boat, plane, and truck to the marketplace. Many fake tree needles are polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This is not a biodegradable material and it cannot be recycled. It is much more Earth friendly to purchase a locally produced live potted tree from a tree farm or nursery. When you do this you support the local economy, you add a live plant to your indoor environment for the winter months and add year round beauty to the landscape when you plant it outdoors. Even cut trees from local tree farms can be a better choice than purchasing an artificial tree. This purchase supports local small business, boosts local economy, and reduces the shipping and transportation footprint. They are also recyclable. The used trees from our neighborhood are picked up and ground in a wood chipper. We are able to go to locations to pick up the free yard mulch a few weekends later.

2.       Green Ornaments and Lights

You can find wonderful treasures at vintage and resale shops. Purchase ornaments from local craftspeople and artisans. You may also consider fair trade purchases, which create sustainable economic systems globally. There are fair trade retailers in many communities, so you can also buy local. Check out fairtradefederation.org. Replace your older light strings with new low energy versions. Light emitting diode (LED) can use up to 90% less energy than traditional bulbs. If you do not want the expense of all new strings, consider using fewer lights for your tree and house this year.

3.       Give Green Gifts

Begin by supporting local small business. Some gift ideas are gift certificates for services such as massage, facials, or hair salons. Give someone an experience, like tickets to a concert or play or a jewelry making or pottery class. Buy gifts from local crafters and artisans. By donating to charity in the recipient’s name, you are giving a gift twice. These gifts will not send waste to the landfills and you are not having goods shipped halfway around the planet. Make sure you plan your holiday shopping trips in advance, so you spend less on gasoline and reduce emissions.

4.       Green Wrapping

Between Thanksgiving and the New Year, Americans throw away up to 25% more trash. Approximately four million tons of this waste in the landfills is believed to be wrapping paper and shopping bags. To reduce your contribution you can recycle last year’s paper and bows. If you did not save the wrap from last year, start a new tradition this year by collecting the bows, ribbon, and wrap in a gift box addressed to Planet Earth from your family. Wrap presents in fun new ways: make gift bags from fabric scraps or pack gifts in decorated grocery shopping totes usable all year long instead of paper or plastic. Wrap in old maps, calendars or the old standby the Sunday comics. For gift tags, cut the designs from used holiday cards, punch a hole and tie with a ribbon.  You can make homemade holiday cards using recycled cards, photographs, or children’s artwork. Wouldn’t Grandma love a card that is a family photo or a child’s art? If you are purchasing premade cards, buy cards printed using techniques that do not produce dioxins in the mill waste. Look for cards printed on acid-free, recycled, chlorine-free paper.

5.       Deck the Halls Green

When company is coming, and let’s face it, after they finally leave, it is time for a good house cleaning. Clean green without releasing harmful toxins into your home. There are safe non-toxic cleaning alternatives such as the Shaklee Get Clean™ line. Shaklee believes cleaning house should not involve dirtying the earth. Get Clean™ products use biodegradable cleaning agents, which mean they break down easily instead of hanging out in the ground for hundreds of years. The products are super-concentrated; you add the water so you subtract waste. Therefore, you can get that clean feeling about your house, knowing you are keeping the planet clean, too.