While the holidays have been coined the best time of the year, it’s also the most wasteful. In fact, between Thanksgiving and the New Year, Americans create 25% more waste than any other time of the year. As you wrap up the holiday season and prepare for the year ahead, we thought who better to ask for advice on how to be more eco-friendly during the holiday season and beyond than those that know sustainability and the environment best. From Eugene, OR to Toronto, ON, experts across North America shared simple yet impactful ways that you can be more green. Whether it’s finally replacing your windows to reduce heat loss or swapping out household cleaning products for environmentally-friendly options, there are so many ways you can become more eco-conscious at home during the holiday season and into the New Year.
1. Decorate your home sustainably
Instead of putting up a real tree that will die, consider making a “Green Tree” – i.e., sustainable tree – this year. Get creative and make an upcycled tree from repurposed materials. – Cinder Garden Designs
2. Ditch traditional cards for an eco-conscious option
There is no time like the holidays to start being more eco-conscious. Instead of mailing those holiday greeting cards, email them. This will reduce your carbon footprint and produce less physical waste. – Environmental Volunteers
3. Put community solar in the stocking instead of coal this year
Groups like Groundswell can give you a cost-effective share in community solar while providing benefits to your community. For lower-income households, Grid Alternatives has great options to take advantage of the sun. And for others who fall outside of the five states that Groundswell works in, there are many local groups as well as national ones, like national group Arcadia, that can connect you and your loved ones to clean energy gifts perfect for the stocking this year. – Acadia Center
4. Reduce your heat and cooling losses for an eco-conscious New Year
Green habits to adopt for the new year should include reducing your heat or cooling losses. Start small by putting in well-fitted insulating shades or drapes, and ensuring the drafts of outside air are blocked with proper-fitting door gaskets. Next level planning would include making sure all your windows are double-paned with high r-value windows for your climate. And if you’re building an addition to your home, or a new home or out-building, leave behind traditional wood stick framing and look at sustainable ICCF (insulating composite concrete forms) wall block construction for high energy reductions at a competitive price. – Faswall
5. Upcycle old holiday cards into handmade gift tags
Cut out the festive designs on past years’ holiday cards, put your festive creativity to work, and attach them to your gifts! Be sure to avoid or craft over any spots where the cards had writing on them. – bare market
6. Shop local and remember to buy quality over quantity
Besides supporting your community and finding unique gifts and fresh, seasonal, organic produce, you’re avoiding adding to the mass supply chain and transportation emissions when you shop locally. Everything we buy ends up somewhere, whether that’s biodegrading in the ground or sitting in a landfill for literal decades. Where you can, try to opt for vintage or antique gifts. Otherwise, make an effort to buy useful things that will last a long time but can easily be repurposed or biodegrade at the end of their life cycles. – Aurora Sustainability
7. Gift our planet this holiday season by using natural odor eliminators
You can clean your air and save by using eco-friendly natural, unscented, reusable, and chemical-free deodorizers. In addition, you will be helping fight climate change by reducing your carbon footprint. – NoOdor.com
8. Think practically to help reduce post-holiday waste
Reduce post-holiday waste by giving gifts that are consumable or that the recipient can use in their everyday life. We’ve all gotten cheap “throwaway” gifts that people give when they feel compelled to give something, and oftentimes those gifts that are cheap, break easily or can’t be used, so they end up in the trash. Instead, give gifts like coffee or tea (things that can be used up) or practical items that can be used every day. Your gift recipients will think of you every time they use their gift, and you won’t contribute more to landfill waste. – Creative Green Living
9. Ditch the plastic and think reusable this year
Marley’s Monsters UNpaper® towels and Washable Sponges are not only great for gifting but also great for cleaning up during and after holiday parties. Give the gift of sustainability with reusables that can be used over and over again, save money, and the environment. – Marley’s Monsters
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