Have you been dreaming of a green Christmas? Even if you are not sure about the climate change issue, you probably won’t like the fact that literally tons of extra waste are created by heightened holiday consumption. Most people care about the environment enough to want to protect it, even if they haven’t come down on either side of the climate change debate. That means we should use care even during the holidays.
Everyone can employ a few rather painless, green Christmas strategies to use less energy, creating less waste and pollution. Let’s start with Christmas shopping. The number of bags used during the holiday shopping season is huge. Numerous bags are used year long, for grocery shopping and the like. However, that number increases dramatically at Christmastime with gift shopping and shopping for holiday dinners and party food along with regular purchases.
If you are hoping to plan a green Christmas, you can start by helping limit the number of bags used. If you purchase a single item, inform the cashier that you don’t need a bag. You can also try purchasing or making your own reusable shopping bags. Earth-friendly shopping bags can limit a lot of waste along with helping to limit the amount of processing required to make more bags.
Don't forget gift wrapping in your green Christmas plans. Opt for eco-friendly ideas when it comes to wrapping gifts. If you have a paper shredder, you can shred paper that accumulates around your home to make packing material. Who needs all that junk mail anyway? If you don’t have a paper shredder you can tear or cut paper into strips or simply crumble it up to put in boxes to protect those fragile gift items.
Another green Christmas idea is using boxes that have already found their way into your home instead of purchasing gift boxes. Brown paper bags can be used as wrapping paper, for another way to limit bag waste. If this is too drab for your taste, consider ready to use decorated gift boxes instead of buying both boxes and wrapping paper. You can also look for boxes, bags, or wrapping paper made from recycled products.
A green Christmas does not have to be one that is devoid of festive decorations. You can even find solar Christmas lights or LED lights for indoor use that use less energy. Not only will you save energy, you’ll also save money, since a green Christmas can mean lower electricity bills.
Processing artificial Christmas trees may not be good for the environment, but buying one and using it for many years to come may cancel out some of these concerns. Some consider this a good green Christmas strategy as opposed to buying a real tree. Others prefer a living tree that can be replanted after the holidays, although some trees don’t thrive indoors where it’s too warm. There is no consensus on which is the best option when it comes to Christmas trees, so each consumer must choose the option he or she thinks is best when planning a green Christmas.