How To Create A Green Christmas
Consumers Consider The Environment During Holiday Season
Nov 12, 2008
Having a green Christmas doesn’t mean living without or sacrificing your good tastes, it is becoming more conscious of our footprints on the planet. Making little changes each holiday season brings you closer and closer to the goal of living responsibly and eco-consciously.
Green Christmas Decorations
Solar powered outdoor lights – available through companies such as Real Goods, these twinkle lights are powered by the sun, saving money on electricity! Also available as pre-lit wreaths for front doors.
A living Christmas tree – some families choose to plant a tree in a plantar pot and use it for the Christmas tree instead of a cut tree or artificial tree. Since cut trees serve such a small purpose as a decoration centerpiece before going into a landfill a live tree or an artificial tree is a greener choice.
Reusable tree ornaments – families with young children or pets can opt for light-weight wooden ornaments and other sustainable materials that aren’t prone to breaking. Avoid purchasing ornaments year after year or plastics that can off-gas harmful chemicals into the air.
Create decorations from household materials – have the children cut up paper GOOS (good on one side) into snowflakes and gingerbread men. Reuse materials or materials that would be going to the trash or recycling bins.
Burn soy or beeswax candles – burn cleaner and use oils from plants instead of perfumes. Way Out Wax® of Vermont carries a scent called Northern Forest with essential oils of spruce, fir and cedarwood or the Cozy Home candle warms with scents of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
Green Christmas Gifts
Sustainable and environmentally-responsible gifts are easier to shop for now than before. Fair trade craft items are increasingly popular gift items as homemade gifts ranging from crafts to meals. Eco-friendly wines and beers are popular hostess gifts for parties.
Earth Cinema – give the gift of great DVDs with a subscription to Earth Cinema. Four environmental films show up every other month. Topics such as wildlife, conservation, environmentally-conscious adventure, and adventurous eco-travel are featured in the films.
Eco Gadgets – make fun gifts for the environmental enthusiast. Such gadgets as solar cell phone and laptop chargers, hydrogen and solar powered toy cars or water powered clocks can entertain or be useful gifts.
Alternative calendars – instead of the same old “Puppies 2009” calendar try giving an alternative calendar such as the Lunar Phase Calendar or the beautiful Ecological Calendar which divides into seasons instead of months.
Green stocking stuffers – might include Kiss My Face® lip balm, a tin of Night-Night Balm from Badger®, or a homemade blend of herbed sea salts for the table or bath.
Green Wrapping Paper
Now that you have the perfect green gift don’t throw it into any old wrapping paper! Get creative and consider the R’s when wrapping Christmas gifts: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
- Paper shopping bags make simple statements as wrapping paper and can be decorated with pine cones, sea shells or finger paint.
- Leftover fabric swatches can be used to create a gift bag by drawing up the corners and tying with string or yarn.
- Knit or crocheted gift bags are as treasured by the recipient as the gift itself.
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