Seven Easy Ways to Stay Green Through the Holidays

Skip wrapping paper—newspapers and magazines serve as a great alternative.

In a few more school days, the final bell will ring and winter break will begin. Although the holidays spell obligatory shopping, gift wrapping, and all the rest, there are many ways to stay environmentally friendly amid the seasonal mayhem. Here's seven simple tips listed below: 

1.  Shop with a reusable bag. For many, holiday shopping is obligatory. Whether it’s picking up a gift from Target, Home Depot, or Bath & Body Works, among others, the thin, cheap plastic bags add up. These bags are difficult to recycle and take many lifetimes to biodegrade​. Switching to a reusable bag will keep excess plastic out of landfills as the weather grows cold. 

2.  Skip wrapping paper (or recycle it).  Instead of using traditional wrapping paper, household papers like newspapers and magazines can be used to conceal presents with equal success. Not only will this reduce environmental costs, but it will also relieve financial costs. After it’s used, the paper can be recycled. Just remember: simple wrapping paper can be recycled but foil or glitter-decorated paper needs to go in the general waste.

3.   Gift unconventional items.  Don’t feel pressured to buy a gift from the bright aisles of a chain store. Great gifts can be homemade. Spend time crafting a mug for dad or baking cookies for mom. Also, great gifts can be second-hand. Look around the house for presents to give. 

4.   Reuse gift bags. Gift bags can be used over and over again. Save them to reuse and encourage your friends to do the same. 

5.   Opt for items with less packaging. Packaging--the product used to wrap or protect goods, including cardboard, plastic, and paper--makes up a major portion of waste in the U.S. This holiday season, goods will fill malls and stores across the country, luring consumers to items coated in shiny plastic. When shopping, opt for items with less packaging to reduce your waste. 

6.  Save leftovers. Each year, roughly one-third of the food produced for human consumption worldwide goes to waste. This is especially true during the holidays. Encourage friends and family to take leftovers home. Store leftovers in the freezer to enjoy after you’ve had a break from them for a while. 

7.  Donate. The winter season is marked with cold weather (well, sometimes). As you dig out cold-weather clothes, donate old pieces to a charity or thrift store to give your sherpa jacket or Thrasher hoodie extra life. Likewise, if you received a gift you don’t like, donate it or gift it again instead of sending it to a landfill. 

~Ally Lozano- Copy Editor

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