It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it’s also a wonderful time to be Green! With all the time and money we spend on bringing our loved ones holiday cheer, why not take a few simple steps to make life a little easier and Greener around our holiday celebrations?
Follow these tips to save Green and be Green this holiday season:
1. Shop online. Online retailers often times have prices that beat the brick and mortar stores. With online shopping, you’ll save on gas driving to and from the stores, as well as time and stress in long holiday lines! If you must make a trip to a store, bring your own reusable shopping bag.
2. Instead of buying physical gifts, consider purchasing tickets for a service or event. These types of gifts will give memories and cut down on packaging waste.
3. Send e-Cards instead of paper Christmas cards. Don’t fuss with the mail this year trying to get out that annual Christmas card, send your friends and family an instantaneous e-Card instead! With e-Cards, you can customize your messages and pictures just as you would a physical card. Web sites like Hallmark and American Greetings even offer free cards so you can save money and the environment!
4. Unplug your lights when not in use. Save on electricity costs this holiday season by pulling the plug on those twinkling lights during the day and before you go to sleep. If you haven’t purchased your lights yet, consider buying LED. They’ll last longer and they use less electricity than standard lights.
5. Use fabric bows instead of plastic. These bows can be reused over and over again produce less waste than plastic ribbons.
6. Make decorations using edible items. Decorating your tree or home with gingerbread, berries, or strings of popcorn is unique and has a much smaller environmental impact than plastic decorative items. Instead of spraying fake snow on your tree or lawn, sprinkle on some baking soda! This will have the same snowy effect without the environmentally damaging components.
Do you have any other ideas on how to make this holiday season a little Greener? Let us know by commenting below or emailing us at green@wnco.com. DING! You are now free to be Green!
