By ecoRI.org News staff
’Tis the
season to consume, decorate and travel, which also means using a lot of
resources and generating plenty of waste. The amount of household trash
generated in the United States increases by about 25 percent between
Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, from 4 million tons to 5 million, according to
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The
holidays are special, but they don't have to negatively impact the environment.
There are a number of measures that you can take to lessen this impact:
Turn
off or unplug holiday lights during the day.
Try
to buy items with minimal packaging and/or made with
recycled content. Check product labels to determine an item's recyclability and
whether it is made from recycled materials.
Consider
the durability of a product before you buy it as a gift.
Cheaper, less durable items often wear out quickly. Look for items that embody
the concept of reuse.
Reduce
the number of paper and plastic bags that are thrown out by
bringing reusable bags gift shopping. Tell store clerks you don't need a bag
for small or oversized purchases.
Wrap
gifts in recycled or reused wrapping paper or old newspapers.
If
you host a party, set the table with cloth napkins and
reusable dishes, glasses and silverware.
Save
and reuse party hats, decorations and favors.
Compost
leftover food
scrap.
Buy
cards made from recycled paper — look for “post-consumer”
content — and printed in non-toxic inks.
Consider
substituting postcards
for cards that require envelopes.
Reuse
the fronts of old holiday cards as gift tags.
Decorate
with more energy-efficient LEDs (light emitting diodes)
strings rather than the larger, old fashioned lights. LEDs are small light
sources that are illuminated by the movement of electrons through a
semiconductor material. LEDs are exceptionally energy efficient when producing
individual colors, many using up to 90 percent less energy than an incandescent
bulb to produce the same amount of light.
Avoid
foil and plastic-embossed paper because it uses more resources
in its manufacturing.
Don't
accept a new gift box with
your purchase if you have a supply of old ones, or try to wrap it without a
box.
Carpool
with friends and family to go holiday shopping.
Buy
a living tree you can plant outside or keep as a houseplant
after Christmas.