EARTH-WISE HOLIDAY IDEAS
This season is the perfect time to start new holiday traditions that will not only make this year memorable but will help protect our environment for our holidays to come. From selecting your gifts to wrapping them in an earth-friendly fashion, everyone has a choice and opportunity to make our world a better environment. Please consider using some of the tips below.We hope you have a safe, wonderful and environmentally friendly holiday season.
ENTERTAINING
- Set your table with china, silverware, glasses and cloth napkins...there will be less paper consumption and less to throw out plus you will have again for next year...new traditions!
- Buy snacks and beverages in bulk...less package waste.
- Place recycling bins in easy to find locations for your guests.
DECORATING
- Walk around your yard and see what nature has to offer...pinecones, evergreen sprigs, leaves, berries...keep a sharp eye and an open mind and use your imagination.
- Recycle your decorations from year to year within your home or trade with friends and family.
- String holiday cards you receive along your walls, counters and fireplaces or even hang on your Christmas tree. Keep the cards for the following years to reuse as ornaments or gift tags.
- Shop at thrift stores and rummage sales for decorations...what is one person's trash is another's holiday treasure!
GIFT SHOPPING
- Buy recycled whenever you can...promote reduce, reuse, recycle.
- Consider not waste gifts like gift certificates to local stores and for services like massages or theatre tickets.
- Shop at local consignment shops and thrift shops...you'll be promoting reusing instead of tossing away plus you'll find unusual gifts at great prices.
- Send recycled greeting cards or e-mail your greetings whenever possible.
- Look for clothing and gifts made out of hemp, organically grown cotton, recycled cottons and recycled plastic.
- Lovely stationary sets are now available in recycled paper as well as paper made from other earth-friendly products such as kenaf and hemp.
- Give a living gift of a plant or tree...promote a greener earth.
WRAPPING GIFTS
- Wrap gifts in fabric gift bags...you'll be giving a gift within a gift...fabric gift bags can be reused for future gifts or lovely storage for bath products, lingerie, jewelry, kid's toys, etc... the possibilities are endless. Fabric gift bags can be additionally decorated with festive ribbons, recycled ornaments, etc...quick, easy and resuable without waste sent to landfills.
- Cover sturdy boxes with christmas fabrics (cut carefully and glue on) to make a gift box worth reusing for years to come...the boxes can be used to store your Christmas decorations for next year.
- Use baskets with lids to hold your gift, tie with cloth ribbon...baskets can be reused throughout the year.
- Use fabric ribbons...can be reused from year to year and is often less expensive than traditional holiday ribbon...save money and resources.
- For larger gifts, hide them in another room, cover with sheet or blanket, put a note or riddle pertaining to the gift and it's whereabouts in a fabric gift bag or another creative reusable container and let the fun begin.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND ENJOY THE ENVIRONMENT!!
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