Go green, give green, save green
There's no question we are all more focused on green these days — both in terms of the environment and our pocketbooks. However, the holidays can often be a challenge for both with the abundance of parties, shopping and overall excess that accompanies this time of year.
It is estimated that between Thanksgiving and the New Year, an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone is thrown out each year — enough to tie a bow around the Earth.
Rather than waiting for the New Year to get your green efforts back on track, try following these tips and ideas to live, give and save green this holiday season.
The holidays wouldn't be the same without the bright, twinkly glow that comes with strings of lights adorning rooftops, eaves and trees. But beautiful holiday lights can be a real drain on your energy bill.Want an easy fix? LED lights use less than 10 percent of the electricity consumed by filament bulbs and can save you close to 95 percent on your electricity bill.
Save time, money and stress by staying home for the holidays this year.The money and gas you will save adds up. In fact, www.use-less-stuff.com reports if every American family reduced holiday gas consumption by just one gallon — about 20 miles — we would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million tons. So sit back, relax and enjoy the holidays — at home.
Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills.Instead, here's a great chance to get creative. Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children's artwork.Susan Angel, a green events planner from Boise and owner of Angel & Co., made the change last year. "I decided, 'OK, no more wrapping paper.' So what do you do when there's no wrapping paper?" Angel said. Get creative.Last year she made gift bags out of fabric."They are so easy to sew — three seams and a hem with a piece a ribbon," she said."If you are not real crafty, consider pillow cases tied with a ribbon." Other options include cloth or reusable gift or tote bags or wrapping gifts in usable items like dish towels or scarves.According to the Sierra Club, if every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
Planning to upgrade your electronics this holiday? Have toys and clothes you and your family no longer use? Donate unwanted items to a local charity.Old cell phones can be dropped off at Staples office supply stores for recycling.The CollectiveGood.com takes used cell phones and distributes them to charities worldwide. When you mail your cell phone, PDA or pager to CollectiveGood.com, you get to designate the charity you want to benefit from your tax-deductible donation.In addition to ridding yourself of unwanted clutter and keeping extra waste out of landfills, you have the opportunity to make someone else's holiday bright. Tighter budgets are sure to impact holiday spending this year, and thrift stores offer gently used goods at great prices. Plus, your donation is tax deductible, which means more green for you in the coming year.
Eco-friendly gifts are sure to be a hit this holiday season.Take, for example, the Sodastream home soda maker. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, the average family of four will go through 200 soda bottles and cans — most of which end up in our landfills. The Sodastream system creates sparkling water and more than 20 flavors of sodapop at a fraction of the price of store-bought soft drinks all while eliminating the need for individual bottles and cans. An added bonus? A soda maker is a family gift.
And don't forget the batteries. About 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the holiday season.Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany your electronic gifts, and consider giving a battery charger as well.Rechargeable batteries keep regular batteries, which contain potentially harmful materials, out of the landfill and can save money in the long run.So whether you are already a green guru or just joining the movement, these simple steps make it easy to bring a little more green to the Earth — and your wallet — this holiday season.<B><I>MCTNews Service contributed to this report.</I></B>
