So it's the holiday season again. There is so much to be thankful for and with this new focus on being green, it forces me to look at the season with new eyes.
For example - Christmas lights - I LOVE Christmas lights, but they tend to use a lot of extra energy. . . so manufacturers are begining to come out with LED Christmas lights. We got some of those this year - it's pretty exciting! :)
Another thought - wrapping paper. What a waste of paper! And I don't think I've ever seen anyone recycle their wrapping paper. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's day, Americans throw away a million extra tons [900,000 metric tons] of garbage each week, including holiday wrapping and packaging, according to Robert Lilienfeld. Lilienfield, who has published a newsletter on reducing waste since 1996, notes that if every family reused just 2 feet [0.6 meter] of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles [61,000 kilometers] of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. Who would notice if you wrapped their present in newspaper or old paper bags and used fun bows to dress it up? For bows, you could use old VHS and cassette tape (both curl nicely on a sharp scissors' edge), old Christmas lights, tape measures, shoelaces—really anything from the junk drawer that's long enough to tie around a box—for a vintage look. Then you're reusing things instead us using bought wrapping paper that only has one purpose!
Something else to be on the lookout for. . . What Would Jesus Buy (www.wwjbmovie.com) it looks to be a super entertaining movie about commerialism in America especially during the holidays. . . check it out!
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2 comments:
This means your presents this year either won't be wrapped or they'll be wrapped in something really obscure. We don't get a newspaper, so I'll have to get creative. :)
Beth - here is a good resource to direct people to if you yourself are having a "buy nothing" Christmas, and need a little back up. To some, this concept is really radical.
www.buynothingchristmas.org
Also, buying handmade or buying gifts that support local economies in developing countries is always a good idea, although i strongly suggest everyone genuinely research these types of claims!
these are my favorites!
www.buyhandmade.org
www.etsy.com
www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com
www.branchhome.com
Merry Christmas!
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