The holiday season is a time of joy, togetherness, and generosity. But it’s also a time when waste tends to skyrocket. The festive period leaves a significant environmental footprint between using discarded gift wrap, using extra energy, and leaving wasted food at the table. The good news? By making a few mindful changes, we can celebrate in style while being kinder to the planet.

In today’s blog post, we shift our schedule from how to gift-give while being friendly to our planet and resources and focus on why sustainability matters this holiday season and how you can make a difference.

Why Focus on Sustainability?

The holidays have an undeniable impact on the environment:

1. Excess Waste: The EPA estimates household waste increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, with billions of pounds of extra trash ending in landfills.
2. Energy Consumption: All those twinkling lights? They’re beautiful but contribute to a surge in electricity usage. Around 100 incandescent bulbs use 40W of electricity, if we assume the lights are on for six hours daily, that means an average household will use 65 kWh of electricity in December for their lights.
3. Overproduction and Overconsumption: The demand for always adding more decorations, lights, food, and other holiday nicknacks strains our natural resources. It also tends to land on the landfill, as they either break, we lose them, or are uninterested in them in the next holiday season.

By embracing sustainability, we reduce waste, conserve resources, and pave the way for a healthier planet – all while keeping the holiday spirit alive.

5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Sustainably

• Reimagine Gift Giving
  • Go for experiences: Instead of material gifts, consider offering experiences like tickets to a concert, a cooking class, or a day out.
  • Buy local: Support small businesses and reduce the carbon footprint associated with shipping.
  • Wrap smart: Skip single-use wrapping paper. Use a reusable cloth, old maps, or brown paper to decorate yourself. Check out more ideas on how to wrap your gifts sustainably here.

• Deck the Halls Sustainably
  • Opt for natural decorations like pinecones, greenery, and dried fruit, which can be composted after the season.
  • Choose energy-efficient LED lights or switch to solar-powered ones.
  • If you get a Christmas tree, dispose of it responsibly through local recycling programs or consider a potted tree you can replant.

• Plan Thoughtfully for Food
  • Plan your meals carefully to avoid food waste.
  • Buy local and seasonal produce to reduce the carbon footprint of your feast.
  • Share leftovers with guests or donate them to local shelters.

• Rethink Your Holiday Travel
  • Traveling for the holidays? Try to carpool, use public transportation, or offset your carbon footprint if flying.
  • Stay close to home if possible – creating new traditions nearby can be as unique as traveling far.

• Give Back to Nature
  • Plant a tree or donate to an environmental charity to honor loved ones.
  • Volunteer for a local cleanup or support organizations that work to protect the environment.

A New Tradition of Giving Back

Sustainability isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. Every small step you take to reduce your consumption and be more mindful of your choices, like using less plastic, buying energy-efficient Christmas lights, or cutting back on single-use items, adds up. And when you involve your family and friends in these changes, you’re helping to create a ripple effect beyond the holiday season. Be a green ambassador this holiday season!

Let’s make this holiday season not just about giving and receiving but about cherishing the planet we all share. By celebrating sustainably, we can ensure that the season’s joy doesn’t come at the cost of our future.