Tips for a Greener Holiday Season
The UCSF Sustainability Committee has these suggestions for a more eco-friendly holiday season.
Greeting Cards
If everyone sent just one less card per year, we could save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.
Try e-mailing electronic cards to cut down on paper consumption.
If you need to send paper cards, send cards made out of recycled paper that don't require additional trees to be cut down.
Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil and 4,000 kilowatts of energy. This represents 64 percent in energy savings, and 60 pounds less air pollution.
With those 17 trees saved, a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide can be absorbed and saved from the air each year.
Send cards made of hemp. The long fibers in hemp allow such paper to be recycled several more times than wood-based paper.
Recycle the cards you receive or the ones you don't send.
Wrapping Gifts
If every American family wrapped just three presents in recyclable materials, we would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
Get creative. Make your own wrapping paper from old cards, calendars, maps, scarves, cloth napkins, newspapers or magazines, or have your kids do artwork on recycled paper. Find organic recycled paper here.
Reuse that ribbon. If every household reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet! Try using something other than ribbon to accent your gift wrap - twine, shoelaces, fabric, yarn or a reusable, festive brooch.
To ship gifts, use plastic bags from newspaper delivery, popcorn or crumpled newsprint.
Buying Your Tree
The greenest option is to buy and decorate a potted fir or another plant that you can replant after the holidays.
If you're going to buy a live tree - just as 35 million people will this year - buy one specifically farmed for the holidays, rather than those chopped down from old-growth forests. Look for trees grown without pesticides or ones that adhere to organic standards. And buy a locally grown tree to reduce fossil fuels used to drive or ship trees long distances.
Don't buy a plastic tree because they contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which breaks down in landfills, pollutes water supplies and harms wildlife.
Decorating Your Tree
LED Christmas lights are much more efficient than traditional bulbs, and can reduce your energy use by 90 percent. You can find LED lights at most retail or hardware stores, such as Lowe's, Target or Ace Hardware. They may cost more money up front, but they will ultimately save you money because of their efficiency.
Plug your tree into a smart power strip that automatically turns off when you aren't using it. It reduces the flow of unused power, which will reduce your energy bill. Since much of the power in the United States comes from coal-fired plants, reducing energy usage also reduces carbon emissions. When the holidays are over, the smart strip can be used for computers, TVs and other electronics.
Decorate with ornaments made out of natural materials, recyclable materials or compostable materials like cranberries and popcorn.
Recycling Your Tree
At the end of the holiday season, almost 10 million trees end up in the landfill. But you can recycle your tree by calling 1-800-CLEANUP or visiting the website to find a recycling service in your area.
Green Gift Ideas
Donations to environmental protection groups or shelters, or museum memberships.
Make a coupon book offering homemade dinners, child care or special group activities.
Related Links:
• 50
Great Green Gifts
• Blue Lotus - sustainable goods
• EcoDirectory - a variety of eco-friendly gifts
• EcoMall - a variety of eco-friendly gifts
• Global Exchange - fair trade gifts
• Green Zebra Coupon Book - discounts at local eco-friendly retailers and restaurants
• Living Tree Paper - recyclable paper products
• Mr. Ellie Pooh - recyclable paper products
• Real Goods - energy-saving products
• World of Good - fair trade gifts
More information can be found at the New American Dream website.