GreenWorks - Celebrating a "Green" Christmas

Celebrating a "Green" Christmas

Still trying to find that perfect gift? While celebrating the holidays and giving to our friends, relatives, and others, don't forget to give back to the planet by being environmentally conscious. From giving a gift of home baked goods to re-using boxes and holiday wrapping paper from last year's gifts, there are many creative ways to celebrate a "green" holiday season.

In selecting gifts, we may wish to think conservation not consumption, and consider the impact that our gifts have on the earth. Are you giving something that is disposable, only to be used once and then thrown away, or can it be used over and over again? Does it come with batteries, and if so, can they be recharged? Is the gift useful or destined for a life in the closet?

Some gifts have less of an environmental impact than others - impacts from manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal. Gifts of tickets to a sporting event, play, or concert can provide hours of enjoyment and lifelong memories while treading a little lighter on the earth. Making a charitable donation in someone's name to a favorite environmental non-profit organization is also a good idea. Select durable gifts that won't be unfashionable or obsolete six months from now. When possible, look for gifts with recycled content or clothes made from organic cotton. To contribute towards a healthy planet, consider giving a gift with an environmental theme such as a water-saving showerhead, battery re-charger, ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent light bulbs, clothesline, or rain barrel for watering the garden.

When wrapping gifts, think about how to reduce waste. During the holiday season, the average household generates three to ten bags of extra trash. Re-using gift wrapping and boxes from last year's presents or making wrapping paper from newspapers or paper bags will create less waste, save trees, and, as a bonus, save you money. Try letting your children design their own wrapping paper. Have you ever tried to wrap a bicycle? Instead of wrapping a large present, create a scavenger hunt to find it hidden in the house or yard.

You can also reduce waste while celebrating at your workplace or other holiday party. Consider adopting a policy of keeping a reusable plate, cup, and utensil for the celebratory goodies as opposed to constantly using stacks of disposable materials for these events. This not only saves on paper and plastic but also reduces the cost of organizing events.

Even after the celebrating is over, it's not too late to continue your low environmental impact holiday. Set aside a box to store ribbons, bows, boxes, and wrapping paper to re-use next year. Save your old greeting cards for making new cards, decorations, or gift tags. If too worn out to re-use, bring old boxes and paper to your local recycling facility. Those leftover Styrofoam packaging peanuts can be re-used by you or taken to a local packaging service. If you had a Christmas tree in your home, be sure to check with your local public works department for tree chipping events in your town. Wood chips can be used in landscaping or composted into useful soil amendment. Take a few minutes to take apart those wilting wreaths and garlands, re-use the wires and frames, and set aside the greens for composting.

By using this opportunity to give something back to the earth this holiday season, you'll be helping to preserve our environment for future generations. For more earth friendly ideas and a list of tree recyclers in New Hampshire, call the N.H. Department of Environmental Services at 271-2975 or visit www.des.state.nh.us/nhppp/holiday.htm

GW12/05