Simplify the Holidays

The Holiday Season is here, with the joy of giving, festive decorations, and gatherings of family and friends. But the holidays often come at a huge cost to both our pocketbooks and the environment. In December, Americans generate approximately 25% more waste than during any other month of the year. This waste comes from excessive food, packaging from online shopping and gifts, wrapping paper, decorations, and unwanted items. And, the waste includes not only the physical items but also the resources used to produce them, such as water, land, energy, and labor.

So this year, participate in the annual Simplify the Holidays campaign, developed by the Center for Biological Diversity (https://simplifytheholidays.org/). Take time to step back and think about ways to celebrate your holidays wrapped in more meaning and less stuff. Rethink and Remake your Holiday Traditions

Giving: for the kids, games and toys that are made to be used and reused, and that can be passed down or donated once outgrown. For adults that have everything, tickets to a museum or concert, gift cards to a local restaurant or specialty store, or home-cooked baked goods and candies are much-appreciated gifts. And gently used items are all in trend. Shop at our local vintage and thrift stores. Don’t fall into the “it can be returned or exchanged” trap. Unwanted gifts (which often end up in landfills) and returned items are a huge contribution to waste and resource depletion.
Decorating: there is no need to buy the latest trend in decorations. Each year, lovingly save your decorations for the following year. They will bring back the memories of years gone by. Or if it is time to mix things up, hold a decoration exchange with neighbors and friends instead of the more traditional cookie exchange.
Greeting cards: giving cards is a wonderful way to stay in touch, but there is a cost, with over 1 billion cards going to landfills each year. Create your own electronic card or use one of the online greeting card apps. And electronic cards have another advantage – the recipient can more easily save the cards, family pictures, and messages!
Donating: Along with reducing wasted food over the holidays, support your local food bank. While food items are appreciated, also consider monetary donations which typically go the furthest in helping our neighbors.