The holidays are here and with it comes a joy and hype to go big.
We strive to buy big gifts for our friends and family.
We try to one-up our neighbors in the lights and decorations.
We want more, more more.
In some ways we’re blinded by the glitz of the holiday lights and enamored by its cheer.
You can certainly have a great holiday celebration but if you’re like me then you try to
down-play it a bit because sometimes there are elements lost when you abandon the
modest traditions.
The consumerism can lead to an environmental impact that you may completely dismiss
because of the thrill of gifts, decorations, and parties.
*What happens to all the waste
from packaging?
*How big of an impact do the
decorations and lighting have?
*Who may be less fortunate
in all of this?
This isn’t to dampen your holiday spirit – on the contrary – I think it’s important we think
of these impacts during the holiday season because it happens to be one of the few times we
are in a giving mood (compared to much of the year from what I’ve seen).
What all do you mean you may be asking.
Let me share a few thoughts and ideas:
*What if you measured your energy output from hanging all the lighting during this
time (or even if it’s scaled to multiple people doing this) where we make a shift to renewable energy.
Americans spend an extra $60 a month during the December holidays – now multiply that by
the millions upon millions of families!
Maybe this year a long-lasting gift could be solar panel kits to help mitigate the costs and change
our overall consumption.
*What if we were to ditch the consumerism of decorating our house entirely?
The early celebrations of these holidays were decorated by handmade items so what’s
stopping us from going rustic and keeping up with that tradition?
There are countless tutorials on making decorations which cost a fraction of what you’re
payingat the store while having less environmental impact depending on the manufacturer
of the DIY materials.
*What if you were to be eco-friendly during your holiday parties?
Consider encouraging others to carpool to the location, participate in a potluck, stick to natural
foods, and be courteous about the facilities when they’re over.
Creating an eco-friendly household is the first step, couple in the decorations that are light on the
environment, and then seal the deal with a party that is meant to leave no trace – now we’re talking!
*What if you gifted based on the idea of having less impact?
Big items have a big eco footprint due to the amount of materials and resources needed for the item
along with the impact that’s caused by its production.
Eco-friendly gifts that are long-lasting can make for great fits such as gifting plants, food, or
Obviously these depend on the recipient but I’m sure they’d love something that’s unique
and handmade!
“We don’t need to necessarily
go the consumerism route for the
holiday season when there are
so many great gifts and ideas
we can do that have long-term
impact on our World.”
I know it can be hard, for some, to think about these types of things when you’re in
this festive spirit but it’s still good to know about it because it may be something you’ll
put into practice.
We all don’t need to necessarily go the consumerism route for the holiday season when
there are so many great gifts and ideas we can do that have long-term impact on our World
around us along with creating a unique and special experience that can’t be bought from the store.
Do what you can to keep our World as joyous as it is today for all those that will come after us
in the future.
I hope you have a wonderful (and safe) holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
What are your favorite eco-friendly ways to celebrate the holidays?
What are you doing to lessen your environmental impact while celebrating Christmas?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
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