The holidays are upon us. It’s a festive time, and it’s so easy to get carried away and forget all of our environmentally friendly habits. Between the decorating, shopping, wrapping and entertaining, we can create a lot of waste and end up with our bank accounts drained and our trash cans overflowing. Check out these eco-friendly ways to enjoy the season and give a little gift to Mother Earth at the same time.
Decorating. We’re lucky to live in a place that has such an abundance of natural greenery. Bring pine branches in to lay down the middle of your holiday table. Add bright color with sprigs of holly or rose hips. Another fun thing to do is use what you have in a different way. Place vintage ornaments in a glass bowl or hang them from a light fixture. Coil a string of lights into a glass jar or vase to light up a powder room or entry table.
Gifts. Homemade gifts generally have the lightest impact on our environment. A batch of cookies or a loaf of freshly baked bread is always a treat. If you’re a canner, don’t be shy to give a jar of jam or tomato sauce that brings back the flavor of your summer garden. Anything hand knitted is super popular these days.
Another great choice is to give experiences instead of stuff. Tickets to the theater or concerts are a great treat. So are yoga, dance or art classes. For the more adventurous, try a gift certificate to rent kayaks or bikes.
Shopping locally reduces your carbon footprint and supports our island economy. There are many specialty food and gift items that are produced right here on Vashon. You can find listings at vashonhub.com, vashonfresh.localfoodmarketplace.com and vashonchamber.com/pages/MadeonVashon.
And of course we have many wonderful shops here on Vashon that have just the right item for everyone on your list. Why not make a holiday tradition of picking a weekend day to wander the streets of town and check out all the shops? Gifts from resale shops are truly unique and especially eco-friendly. While you’re at it, stop in at a local café for lunch or a warm drink. Don’t forget your reuseable shopping bags to hide your surprises.
If you find you must order online, you can take steps to reduce the environmental impact. Order early to avoid rush shipping and request that items be shipped together if possible. Filling trucks to capacity uses less fuel overall, and combining shipments reduces packaging waste.
When it comes to wrapping, think reusable. A pretty tea towel or vintage scarf makes a beautiful wrapping and a bonus gift. Put homemade goodies in glass jars or reusable tins with a ribbon from last year tied around the top. Gift bags are a better option than wrapping paper as they can be reused for several years. When it comes to wrapping paper, check your recycle bin. Newspaper tied with twine can be strikingly fashionable if you tuck a sprig of holly or rosemary into the bow.
When entertaining, think reuse as well. Using real plates, glasses, cutlery and napkins not only makes your meal more elegant, it saves a lot of non-recyclable waste. So at the end of the night when you’re washing those dishes, give yourself a big pat on the back from Mother Nature.
Try just one of these ideas this year. Hopefully it will bring you a warm feeling inside knowing that you are helping to take care of our Earth. Happy Holidays from Zero Waste Vashon.
— Nancy O’Connor is a member of Zero Waste Vashon.
