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Marcus Kazmierczak

Have Yourself a Green Christmas

Date: Dec 05, 2007

Americans generate 25 percent more trash - that's 25 million extra tons - between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Here are a few tips to have a Green Christmas, one with less environmental impact.

  • Buy nothing. A little hardcore and bah humbug, but the best possible way to contribute nothing to our landfills is to buy nothing. This also reduces all energy requirements to build and deliver items to the store, plus your energy consumed to purchase.

However, we do want to keep our economy going. If everyone bought nothing, the economy would be in a bit of a pickle. So here are a few other suggestions:

  • Food, Candy, Chocolate. Food is one of the best possible gifts. Everyone loves a box of chocolates, as it is something to be opened up and shared together. And though your waistline might find itself an inch thicker, you'll add no excess inches of waste to the landfill.
  • Buy Small Gifts. This is a especially true for younger kids. Don't get the gigantic playhouse made of 20 pounds of plastic that takes up half your living room. Huge items like these will be played with for a brief period time and then they'll be off to the landfills.
  • Order Online. Save time and gas by not driving to the mall and circling around endlessly looking for parking. Besides, it will make your Christmas a little happier too when you save yourself from flipping the bird to your fellow holiday shopper who just stole your spot.
  • Give Green Gifts. Give gifts that encourage your recipients to be more environmentally conscious. For example, give a book on how to live a more earth-friendly existence or a compact florescent light bulb. A light bulb probably might work best as a stocking stuffer and not the entire gift.
  • Make Your Own Gifts. This is a risky one, since we've been conditioned to appreciate people's altruism relative to the amount of money they spend. But if you are crafty, make your own cards or gifts.
  • Choose Simple Over Complex. When looking for gifts for kids, choose simple blocks or basic toys over highly electronic and complex toys. This will reduce energy and materials used to build the toy, as well as eliminate the need for batteries and their toxic chemicals. Be sure to be age appropriate, however, as giving a teenager blocks instead of a Wii may cause a revolt.
  • Give Action/Activity Gifts. Gifts to concerts, shows, sporting events or something similar gives someone an experience gift they can enjoy without requiring any additional product to be built. Plus who knows they may take you with them.
  • Use a Gift Bag Instead of Gift Wrap. A gift bag is reusable and won't contribute to the 25 million tons of additional waste generated each holiday season. Save bows, gift boxes, and wrapping paper to reuse next year.

This list may not be as crazy as it sounds. A 2005 survey by the Center for a New American Dream found that 78 percent of respondents wished the holidays were less materialistic. Eighty seven percent said the holidays should be more about family and caring for others, not giving and receiving gifts.

Suggested Gifts

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