Go Green During the Holiday Season
The holidays are here once again...and it's time to decorate! Christmas decorations can be very harmful to the environment, as well as your budget because they usually require you to light up your entire lawn and leave strings of lights on all night.
Christmas is not the only culprit though, some changes can definitely be made in order to make Hanukkah and Kwanzaa go green. The good news is, there are some very simple steps that can be taken in order to make your holiday season more eco-friendly, no matter how you choose to celebrate.
Use Recycled Materials
I would first suggest using products made out of recycled material whenever possible within your holiday decorations. For example, you could design Christmas tree ornaments or knick-knacks with papier-mache made out of recycled newspaper.
This is a really good way to get the kids involved. You could also purchase greeting cards made out of recycled paper, store them on a recycled metal rack, and then recycle your old cards when you don't need them anymore.
Another good idea is to create a wreath made from organic materials such as pine needles, which cause considerably less harm to the environment.
You can also use recycled plastic for your wreath, with solar powered lights to make it shine brighter than the rest. If you're feeling particularly artistic, you could also make a unique wreath out of recycled traffic signs or other recycled metal products.
Edible Decorations
By making your ornaments and decorations out of edible materials, you can really save because store-bought products can cost a pretty penny. Also, by using items that you already have in your home, it eliminates the emissions that you would use while driving to the store.
A well-known example of edible ornaments is stringed popcorn. This is fun, it's easy, and it gives the kids something to do. You can also used dried fruits, macaroni, or gingerbread men.
Eco-Friendly Gifts
Arguably the most important aspect of the holiday season involves gift giving, so this is an excellent opportunity to go green. You can start by using reusable boxes made out of natural, organic materials such as bamboo.
The same goes for wrapping paper. Eco friendly options include recycled or plant-based fibers, which are colored with natural dye. After everyone opens their presents, don't forget to either save the wrapping paper for next year or recycle it.
LED Lights
As I've already mentioned, the holidays can be a very energy-INefficient time because people tend to put up lights all over their house as well as outside the house, and keep them on all night long for weeks. Due to increasing energy costs , LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights are the way to go.
These lights use substantially less energy, they last longer, and since they don't contain mercury, disposing of them does not pose a danger to the environment. Even if the only way you can go green this season is by converting to LED, I think the difference will be evident. You will save a lot of money from your monthly electric bill, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping the environment.
Green Hanukkah!
If you don't celebrate Christmas, you can still go green by changing your Hanukkah habits. The first way is to convert to an olive-oil burning menorah which uses cotton wicks. You can also begin using beeswax candles because unlike paraffin wax, they burn cleanly and use no petroleum materials.
Another great idea would be to buy ingredients from a local markets for traditional Hanukkah foods that will last you all 8 days.
Celebrate Green Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is another holiday which involves burning candles, so like I've already mentioned, you can use olive oil to fuel the candles while using candlesticks made out of natural or biodegradable materials.
Since food is very important during Kwanzaa, it is very important to buy locally grown, organic supplies because it cuts down on emissions and energy waste.
Hopefully you've read all of my advice and you can see that no matter which holiday you observe, it is always possible help the planet by celebrating greener. This is the time of year that is notorious for keeping tradition so hopefully, everyone can start making environmentally-safe adjustments to their typical routine. |
