Eco-Friendly Holidays

The holidays are here. And so is the warmest year on record by a long shot, bringing with it more threats of unprecedented storms and other weather-related disasters. To ensure plenty of Holidays Yet to Come for ourselves, our children and future generations, we need to make merry in ways that are friendly to our Tiny Tim of a planet. Don’t worry – it’s not that hard to do. Come along; let me show you….
 
Celebrating:
You can have a rip-roaring celebration without trashing the planet. And it’ll likely be cheaper, too. Here’s how:

• Skip the decorations. As Oprah says, what makes a party great is the fun, friends, food, drink and music – not the decorations. If you feel they’re essential, get decorations that you can re-use year after year, or at least recycle. 
• Class it up with reusable glasses/mugs. No need for single-use cans or water bottles. Serving guests water/soda/beer/mixed drinks in a glass is tres elegant. And hot drinks taste infinitely better from a real mug. 
• Serve anything but beef. When you serve red meat, you’re sending a message that you don’t give a rip about the planet. Belching, farting, water-hogging, land-grabbing cows are causing both deforestation and global warming to progress at alarming rates. You’re better than that. Anything other than beef. 

Gifts:
With gifts, it’s the thought that counts -- but not just a thought about the recipient, or meeting a social obligation.  The thought that counts is a thought about the recipient’s children and grandchildren, and the planet we will leave to them.
 
Physical gifts can be fabulous if they’re something the recipient really wanted and will use for many years. But usually they’re not. And if you need scissors or power tools to rescue the gift from the bomb-proof casing around it, that’s a sign it has too much packaging.
 
We live on a finite planet. Here are some downsides of physical gifts and the packaging they come in. Such gifts usually involve:

• Extracting natural resources somewhere on the planet,
• Adding toxic chemicals and lots of water,
• And, especially if parts were made overseas, often exploiting cheap, slave or child labor (see John Oliver’s report on fashion).

 
And a lot of atmosphere-warming carbon dioxide is emitted in:

• Extracting the resources,
• Manufacturing them into the final item,
• Transporting the parts, then the finished item to their destinations
• And disposing of the gift and packaging in a landfill or recycling them.

 
You’re probably thinking, “But we live in a capitalist society. It’s my obligation as a good capitalist to support the economy by buying stuff – especially stuff that doesn’t last long. Viva la stuff!”
 
The good news is, you don’t have to choose between the economy and the environment. Two options that will continue to fuel the fire of the economy:

1. Buy services or non-physical gifts:  These gifts support the economy, and don’t have near the environmental impact that goods do. Ideas include donation to a charity, a massage, cooking class, drinks or dinner out, mani-pedi, yoga class, an eBook, event tickets. 
2. If you have to buy a physical gift, buy locally – ideally products that were made locally (like that amazing honey with honeycomb at the farmer’s market). Shopping locally stimulates the economy more and is eco-friendlier than buying from a big-box retailer. Or, buy gifts that help the environment, like LED bulbs, a smart thermostat or an electric car (hint hint!). Either way, look for goods with little or no packaging, and give them in a reusable bag rather than throw-away giftwrap. 

And really, the economy does not depend on your holiday shopping to survive. But the planet depends on all of us demanding less stuff.  To be a real eco-hero, consider giving an experience as your gift. A hike, a home-cooked dinner, a bike ride, crocheting lessons together, night at the movies, stroll around town, coffee and dessert – these gifts bring people together to share the precious gift of time, with minimal eco-impact.
 
As Tiny Tim would say, “God bless us every one!”