Tips for Eco-Friendly Holidays 2008

Why focus on this time of year? Americans throw away 25% more trash during the period between Thanksgiving and New Years.* In the US, the power savings from using LED christmas lights vs. regular christmas lights for one month would be enough to power 200,000 homes for a year.** * Use-Less-Stuff Report ** US Department of Energy

Americans throw away 25% more trash during the period between Thanksgiving and New Years.*

In the US, the power savings from using LED christmas lights vs. regular christmas lights for one month would be enough to power 200,000 homes for a year.**

* Use-Less-Stuff Report

** US Department of Energy

Greener Gifts Give gifts that use less packaging Tickets to sports events or concerts, AmEx or Visa gift cards Stocks and bonds (they’re cheap now) Consider the ongoing power requirements of a gift Avoid gifts that require batteries, or give rechargeable batteries. Include info on recycling batteries. Give gifts that require less manufacturing resources Re-gift or buy used Hold a white elephant gift exchange Buy items made with recycled materials Donate to charity: Kiva.org gift certificate let’s recipient select micro-loan recipient, Heifer International

Give gifts that use less packaging

Tickets to sports events or concerts, AmEx or Visa gift cards

Stocks and bonds (they’re cheap now)

Consider the ongoing power requirements of a gift

Avoid gifts that require batteries, or give rechargeable batteries. Include info on recycling batteries.

Give gifts that require less manufacturing resources

Re-gift or buy used

Hold a white elephant gift exchange

Buy items made with recycled materials

Donate to charity: Kiva.org gift certificate let’s recipient select micro-loan recipient, Heifer International

Shopping Use cloth totes rather than getting a shopping bag from every store Skip the gift boxes Carpool to the mall Make fewer shopping trips Buy local If you’re buying online, have it all shipped together to avoid extra packaging Recycle packaging materials Buy from companies with sustainable practices.

Use cloth totes rather than getting a shopping bag from every store

Skip the gift boxes

Carpool to the mall

Make fewer shopping trips

Buy local

If you’re buying online, have it all shipped together to avoid extra packaging

Recycle packaging materials

Buy from companies with sustainable practices.

Wrapping Purchase sturdy paper gift bags and re-use Save your gift boxes and use them again Buy wrapping made from recycled paper Avoid foil-coated or plastic-coated wrap that can’t be recycled Make or buy re-useable fabric gift bags Save all re-usable bows, ribbons, tissue, and wrap “ Wrap” items in re-usable tins or other containers Use old maps as wrapping paper (free from USGS) Recycle any wrap that can’t be re-used Don’t wrap the stocking stuffers

Purchase sturdy paper gift bags and re-use

Save your gift boxes and use them again

Buy wrapping made from recycled paper

Avoid foil-coated or plastic-coated wrap that can’t be recycled

Make or buy re-useable fabric gift bags

Save all re-usable bows, ribbons, tissue, and wrap

“ Wrap” items in re-usable tins or other containers

Use old maps as wrapping paper (free from USGS)

Recycle any wrap that can’t be re-used

Don’t wrap the stocking stuffers

Decorations Buy outdoor lights strands wired in parallel, so the whole string doesn’t go out if one bulb goes bad Buy light strands with LED bulbs Scale back on the electrically powered decorations Avoid decorations that require an air compressor Turn off electronic decorations at bed time (put lights on timers to make this easy)

Buy outdoor lights strands wired in parallel, so the whole string doesn’t go out if one bulb goes bad

Buy light strands with LED bulbs

Scale back on the electrically powered decorations

Avoid decorations that require an air compressor

Turn off electronic decorations at bed time (put lights on timers to make this easy)

Greeting Cards Did you know that… Every year, 2.65 Billion paper holiday cards are purchased in the US*. If you’re going to buy paper cards, look for cards made from recycled paper. Try Smilebox , Hallmark , Blue Mountain or eGreetings for eCards. Some are free, and you can incorporate pictures and music. *Medical University of South Carolina’s Green Holiday Tips and Recycling

Did you know that…

Every year, 2.65 Billion paper holiday cards are purchased in the US*.

If you’re going to buy paper cards, look for cards made from recycled paper.

Try Smilebox , Hallmark , Blue Mountain or eGreetings for eCards. Some are free, and you can incorporate pictures and music.

*Medical University of South Carolina’s Green Holiday Tips and Recycling

Christmas Trees Did you know that… … in California, 4 million real Christmas trees are sold annually and more than 40,000 tons of tree material is recycled or taken to the landfill?* Buy/cut local Buy a live tree and plant it later Most cities compost trees No tinsel No flocked trees No tree stands Make sure there are no lights or ornaments left on the tree Cut tree in half (some cities require this) *Source: Waste Management of San Diego and Orange counties

Did you know that…

… in California, 4 million real Christmas trees are sold annually and more than 40,000 tons of tree material is recycled or taken to the landfill?*

Buy/cut local

Buy a live tree and plant it later

Most cities compost trees

No tinsel

No flocked trees

No tree stands

Make sure there are no lights or ornaments left on the tree

Cut tree in half (some cities require this)

*Source: Waste Management of San Diego and Orange counties

Holiday Dinners & Parties When purchasing, consider packaging and look for local/organic If you over-buy food, donate unopened food to your local food bank Send left-over food home with your guests Rent plates and glassware instead of using disposable

When purchasing, consider packaging and look for local/organic

If you over-buy food, donate unopened food to your local food bank

Send left-over food home with your guests

Rent plates and glassware instead of using disposable

After the holidays Donate overflow gifts to a local charity or FreeCycle Give away old appliances, toys, and clothes Cancel catalogs you don’t want Make a green resolution for next year

Donate overflow gifts to a local charity or FreeCycle

Give away old appliances, toys, and clothes

Cancel catalogs you don’t want

Make a green resolution for next year

Reference Sites Sierra Club Holiday Tips CA.GOV Holiday Waste Tips Use-Less-Stuff Holiday Tips Yahoo Green Holiday Gift Guide Treehugger Holiday Gift Guide Eartheasy Gift Wrap Alternatives Visit my blog Life at the Moment to comment or submit additional ideas.

Sierra Club Holiday Tips

CA.GOV Holiday Waste Tips

Use-Less-Stuff Holiday Tips

Yahoo Green Holiday Gift Guide

Treehugger Holiday Gift Guide

Eartheasy Gift Wrap Alternatives

Visit my blog Life at the Moment to comment or submit additional ideas.