It’s that time of year again! The holidays are just around the corner and many people are getting ready by buying gifts, baking cookies, decorating their homes, and traveling to visit loved ones. Whatever your plans are for the holidays, here are some tips to keep in mind to help you keep it green.
Upcycle:
Upcycling is the process of creating new things from old material. Some examples include turning an old shirt into a cloth bag, socks into hand puppets, or wine bottles into flower vases. If you don’t like shopping, or if you enjoy making things with your hands, upcycling may be a great idea for you to consider. It’s also a great way to give a gift that is more personal and meaningful.
Gift of Experience:
If you don’t like shopping malls, and you don’t want to make anything by hand by upcycling, consider giving the gift of experience. Instead of giving a tangible gift, consider buying tickets to a concert or a movie. Or simply treat someone to a nice dinner. Giving the gift of experience ensures that there is no extra material involved in packaging, and it usually works well for people who are difficult to buy for.
Go Local!
When preparing your holiday meals, don’t forget to include local food on the ingredients list. Toronto has dozens of farmers’ markets all over the city where you can purchase fruits, vegetables, meats, and more from local farmers. Buying local doesn’t only mean supporting your local economy, but it ensures that less greenhouse gases are emitted into the air from the shorter distance your food had to travel.
Christmas Lights:
If you are hanging Christmas lights, put a timer on it. This is an easy way to make sure that your lights are not unnecessarily on during the day. Using a timer will help you save energy, which in turns means saving you money!
A Greener Travel:
If you plan to go out of town during your holidays, consider a more environmentally friendly way of doing so, if feasible. For those who have to fly long distances by air, check with your airline to see if they have a carbon offset program. These programs allow you to offset a percentage of pollutants planes emit by paying a certain amount that will go towards environmental initiatives. If you are driving, consider taking the train or bus. Not only will this save you gas and stress from navigating through traffic and snow, but you won’t be emitting more pollutants into the air by driving your car.
Whatever your plans are for the holiday season, try to incorporate at least a few green aspects into it. It can be easier than you think. Happy holidays!
