How-To Have A Green Holiday

How-To Have A Green Holiday

How-To Have A Green Holiday

The holiday season with its accompanying buying, wrapping and celebrating substantially increases the amount of waste and electricity we generate. From wasteful purchases to disposable dinnerware and high electricity bills, the holiday season takes a toll on the environment. However, there are many opportunities for the consumer to be more sustainable during the holiday season. – NY.gov

This is something that we think a lot about but might not know where to start. Here are some fun and simple ways you can make this a "green" holiday.

  1. Consider giving a gift that is eco-friendly. Items made with recycled content, are locally produced, organic, and/or fair-trade are always great options. Everything created by ShopColumbia’s artists are locally produced. Check out these eco-friendly ShopColumbia artists: PINTL + KEYT, True Partners in Craft, and Eva Airam Studio!

  2. Decorate with nature. There are a ton of blog posts and tutorials on how to utilize nature to decorate for the holidays, but this article by Apartment Therapy has some great ideas to get you started! After the holidays be sure to recycle or compost your Christmas tree and other natural decorations rather than sending them to a landfill.

  3. Get crafty wrapping gifts. Not all wrapping paper is recyclable or accepted by city recycling plants. Get creative with up-cycling materials you already have! Old newspaper, maps, magazines, and phone book pages are just a few examples of paper-based items that can be used for wrapping gifts. You can also soft wrap items with tea towels, scarves, blankets, or bandanas. A gift within a gift is a win-win!

  4. Save Energy. While saving energy is a good idea anytime of the year, it’s especially important to remember during the holidays with a long winter ahead for many of us. Some easy tips to keep your energy use in check is to turn down your thermostat when you’re asleep or not at home, use energy-saving LED holiday lights, limit the time holiday lights are on (six hours or less of daily use is ideal), and turn off room lights when your tree is lit. These are just a few energy saving ways you can make a difference this holiday.

  5. Reduce food waste. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has some great tips on how to reduce food waste during the holidays. From planning to composting check out their guide to making your holiday meals a little more sustainable.

 

We'd love to see how you're celebrating the holidays! Tag ShopColumbia on any of our social media pages and use the hashtag #HowToHoliday2020 on your posts.

Facebook: facebook.com/shopcolumbia
Twitter: twitter.com/shop_columbia
Instagram: instagram.com/shopcolumbia

 

 

Cheers!