The holiday season is one of the most disposal-intensive times of the year, with Californians producing 25% more waste than average. Give a gift to the Earth by following these simple tips on how to celebrate the holidays with reduce, reuse and recycle in mind.
Before You Buy:
- Give something with a personal touch by making your own gifts, rather than buying something mass-produced.
- Regift: it's the gift that keeps giving!
- Spread the word about environmentalism by donating to an environmental organization, such as CAW, in someone's name.
If You Buy:
- Consumers should always cast eco "votes" with their dollars.
- Don't buy products that contain toxic materials or that can't be recycled or safely disposed of.
- Don't buy products that come in toxic, non-recyclable packaging.
- Avoid buying gifts with batteries.
- Buy gifts that use recycled content.
- Remember to bring your reusable bags to the store.
- Resist the temptation to buy lots of shiny new wrapping paper.
- Instead, if you have to wrap gifts, use newspapers, like the Sunday funnies.
- Try to avoid non-recyclable "frills" like bows and excess tape.
Fake Trees, Real Trees and Holiday Lights:
- Fake trees are often made from toxic PVC, may contain lead and have to be landfilled.
- While the real holiday tree industry has its own environmental issues, make sure to recycle the dead tree when you're done with it if you decide to go that route.
- The best solution: give a potted tree a brief (4-7 day) indoor holiday before being planted in your backyard.
- If you want a sparkly tree, consider using energy-saving LED lights.