Well, holiday season is upon us! Personally, it is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year- I love drinking hot cocoa, shopping for gifts, and cuddling up with some good holiday movies. However, as I’ve become more conscious of my environmental footprint, I’ve realized how much waste the holiday season can produce.
According to Stanford University, Americans actually throw out 25% more waste during the period of Thanksgiving-New Year’s than any other time of the year. Although this statistic shocked me at first, it makes sense when you think about it- wrapping paper for gifts, leftover food from huge feasts, cleaning out the house for the new year… the waste can add up fast!
With some research online and some brainstorming of my own, I’ve compiled some tips below for having a zero-waste holiday! Obviously, we can’t all be perfect, but implementing just a few small changes this holiday season could make a huge impact for the environment. Let’s change up those holiday waste statistics!
Sustainable Gift Ideas
- Consider non-material gifts when you are holiday shopping this season. Rather than purchasing a candle for your loved one, think about gifting dance classes, an online newspaper subscription, or even donating to a charity on their behalf! Not only do these gift options produce less waste, but they can be an incredibly thoughtful and personalized option.
- Maybe your gift doesn’t even have to cost a cent. In a year where the pandemic has caused more financial distress than ever, U.S. PIRG suggests recording a video, scheduling regular video chat times, or writing a card as sustainable homemade gift options.
- Try regifting! I know… it sounds like an infamous no-no, but regifting is actually gaining more mainstream attention as a sustainable alternative. Andra Chantim for Good Housekeeping writes some tips for regifting items already given to you. Obviously, do what’s best for you- but giving a gift to someone who will cherish it will always beat waste going to the landfill!
- Okay… maybe you’re not quite ready to regift. You can still thrift an awesome present! Checking out your local thrift store could lead to some amazing finds- whether it be a vintage sweatshirt, an old book, or a one-of-a-kind home decoration. Purchasing your gift from a secondhand store allows you to give an object more use and continue its life cycle! You could even consider checking out some holiday crafts and up-cycling some items from your home to give an awesome second life to a gift.
- Opt for higher quality, long-term gifts when possible. Yes… it can be tempting to hop on the latest trend and purchase that $6 shirt for your best friend. Prioritizing gifts that will last longer, however, ensures less waste going to the landfill and more time that your friend can enjoy your gift!
- Purchase gifts locally when possible. Shipping gifts can create huge amounts of air pollution from transportation methods, along with wasting plastic and paper packaging. Heading to local stores for your holiday shopping (even better if they’re locally owned, rather than a chain) can reduce your carbon footprint immensely. That being said, the COVID-19 pandemic has created warranted safety concerns for shopping in person. Be sure to prioritize your safety first!
Gift Wrapping
Wrapping gifts is one of the biggest ways that the holiday season creates more waste than any other time of the year. Unfortunately, some wrapping paper and gift bag options aren’t even recyclable, meaning that they head to the landfill and create huge amounts of pollution. Here are a couple of ways that you can be more sustainable in your gift wrapping:
- Don’t wrap your gift at all! If it’s for someone in your household, try hiding it and then going for a dramatic reveal on the big day. Unwrapping gifts can certainly be fun, but your loved ones will appreciate your gift no matter how it’s packaged for them.
- Try a creative and reusable gift wrapping option! My family purchased “Santa Sacks” this year, otherwise known as giant fabric bags. We’re planning on placing our gifts for each other in these bags, and then reusing them again next year.
- When I was in a last-minute pinch once before a holiday party, I ended up having to wrap someone’s gift in an old blanket! At the time, I was a little embarrassed because I had forgotten to purchase wrapping paper. Looking back, however, concealing a gift in a blanket, towel, or old t-shirt may actually be a great way to promote sustainability!
- Another option is to wrap your gifts in packaging you’ve already received. As someone who shops at Trader Joe’s often, I was able to utilize the paper bags from shopping there to wrap up some gifts for my roommates! If you receive single-use items such as paper or plastic bags, you can give them a second use by using them for wrapping!
- Although avoiding wrapping paper altogether is the most sustainable option, there is wrapping paper options more sustainable than the conventional in stores. When you go shopping, be sure to ensure that the paper you are purchasing is recyclable!
A Sustainable Holiday Meal
- I LOVE some good holiday leftovers. One of the best ways to reduce your waste on the holidays is to…. well… eliminate your food waste! When cooking up a meal for your holiday celebrations, be sure to continue the celebrations into the next day to finish up any food you’ve cooked. You can even look up good leftover recipes online. For example, turning your dinner turkey into turkey subs on the next day!
- Eat locally! When discussing sustainable lifestyle changes, purchasing local food is often one of the first ideas that come up. Supporting local farmers, chefs, and food producers this holiday season is a great way to not only support your community, but reduce the amount of waste it takes for your food to get from its production to your table.
- Use reusable plates and cutlery. Washing dishes after a holiday celebration can be a hefty task, however opting for reusables can prevent food and plastic waste from ending up in a landfill. Unfortunately, disposable plates and cutlery can often not be recycled after being used and tainted with food. If you are recycling any food containers this holiday season, be sure to rinse your items properly!
To Conclude
If you’re keeping sustainability in mind this holiday season, you’re already making a huge impact for your community. Be sure to stay safe this holiday season to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and enjoy some virtual or socially distances time with loved ones. This list is by no means an exhaustive list, so I encourage you to do your own research on reducing your waste as well!
You can read some more sustainable holiday tips at the links below:
https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usf/16-ways-have-zero-waste-holiday-2020
Written by Paulina Hruskoci
The Greenhouse Blog 