Dreaming of a "Green" Christmas
Holiday Tips for Sustainable Living
With the Holiday season on our doorstep, it is time to consider how little changes made by a large number of people can really make a difference.
Becoming “green” is almost a mandate now, and we all know little ways to do it. This season, try to incorporate these tips to help the environment together.
Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the holidays than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about one million extra tons per week. Keeping this in mind, we can consciously make an effort to decrease waste.
If you’re buying new lights for the ole tannenbaum look for 5-watt bulbs. They are up to 30 percent more energy efficient than 7-watt bulbs and are available in a variety of festive colors. Low wattage bulbs have two advantages: they consume less energy and give off less heat, making your lights safer.
Put indoor and outdoor lights on a timers for 4 or 5 hours. That way they are off when you are not home and when you are sleeping.
Shipping Light
When buying gifts to send by mail, pick items that are easy to ship and won’t require excess packaging. Reuse packing cartons and shipping materials such as peanuts, wood shavings, shredded newspaper and bubble wrap.
Avoid using polystyrene “foam peanuts” as packing material. Instead, opt for recyclable materials such as shredded newspaper or cardboard or peanuts made of cornstarch. Polystyrene peanuts can be reused, but there are virtually no collection programs available to recycle them. Drop off extra packing peanuts at local private mailing centers.
For Kids
Start a savings account or give stocks or bonds. It’s fun to watch money grow and it teaches children the value of financial conservation. Learn about stocks and funds that are “green” and socially responsible from the National GreenPages - (800)58-GREEN or go to
www.socialinvest.org.
To instill the idea of reuse, help kids make their own tree ornaments from things you have around the house. Or use materials they might find in the backyard such as twigs, bark, flowers and herbs, pine cones, acorns, berries, etc.
Add an energy-saving fluorescent light bulb to your child’s stocking to use in their bedroom lamp. Talk to your children about saving energy and how it helps to preserve the Earth’s natural resources.
