Tips for a Green Holiday

It’s the holiday season, and many of us like to celebrate this time of year by decorating our homes and gathering with friends and family to enjoy fellowship, food, and gift giving.

This is also a time of increased household waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw away 25 percent more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than any other time during the year. Gifts, packaging, decorations, and food waste are major sources of waste this time of year.

Sherry Surrette, associate Extension professor of sustainable living, says there are ways to help reduce the amount of waste we generate. This not only helps the environment, but it can also keep more money in your wallet.

Surrette and Curtis VanderSchaaf, assistant Extension professor of forestry, offer the following tips to help you have a “green” holiday season:

Christmas Trees and Decorations

• Buy a real Christmas tree and support local tree farmers. After the holidays, trees can be used as an erosion barrier, fish habitat in lakes, or chipped for mulch or use in animal stalls.
• If you prefer an artificial tree, carefully unpack and store it each year so it can be reused. If damaged, order replacement parts rather than throwing the tree away.
• Donate used holiday decorations and artificial trees to local charity stores or senior care centers.

Gifts

• Gift an experience such as a cooking class, movie tickets, or a fishing license instead of items that may never or rarely be used.
• Make your own handmade gifts, such as baked goods or crafts.
• If wrapping gifts is essential, consider using newspaper, old maps, or fabric scraps. Or find paper products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FCS) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). This means the paper was produced from sustainably grown and harvested trees.

Meals

• Cut down on food waste by planning meals ahead of time. Check your pantry for food that you already have and be realistic about how much food you will need to minimize leftovers. 
• Ask guests to bring their own containers that can be used to send home leftovers.
• Use reusable plates, cups, utensils, and napkins to cut down on plastic waste. 

 Energy Savings

• Switch to LED holiday lights that consume 70 percent less energy compared to incandescent.
• Make sure to set a timer on your holiday lights to prevent energy from being wasted. Also, consider using fewer lights.
• Use a programmable thermostat to adjust home temperatures while you are away from home during the holidays.

If you’d like more information about ways to reduce waste, check out our Extension Publications, 3932, “Understanding the Meaning of Zero Waste” and 3959, “Know the Numbers: Reduce Plastic Waste.”