Dreaming of a green Christmas? Reuse, buy local best bet to enjoy eco holiday
TORONTO - Forget the forecast and those archetypal visions of winter white: from decor to dinner, many preparing for the holidays have thoughts of green on the brain. While the season often marks a period of excess rather than eco-consciousness, experts say celebrating the holidays complete with tree trimming, gift giving and a prime-time feast that is also eco-friendly is well within reach.
The following are some of their suggestions on how to turn dreams of going green into reality.
GIFT GIVING: Buy locally and/or handmade items. After years of selling her work at craft fairs, Christi York decided to create a designated event to sell stylish and sustainable wares. Heading into its second year, Vancouver's Green Christmas Market will feature more than a dozen vendors selling handcrafted items made out of recycled or vintage materials. Fashion designers at the event will showcase works that comprise eco-conscious materials including bamboo and soy fabrics. "I just wanted to provide people with a totally guilt-free, no brainer shopping experience," said York, a freelance graphic designer, whose works include reworked vintage jewelry. "If you're already going out to craft fairs and buying locally, you're halfway to a green Christmas already," she added. "The fact that all of our items are sustainable in that way is just sort of a bonus. If you want to tackle making your own gift, try crafting a calendar or recipe book, said Coral Maloney, project co-ordinator of the Living Green, Living Well initiative with Resource Conservation Manitoba.
Provide experiences rather than more "stuff." Stephen Hazell, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada, suggests purchasing tickets to a hockey game or concert, or gift certificates for a nice meal on the town. "They're things that people really appreciate and will use but might not do on their own." If those options are too expensive, search for more cost-effective alternatives like minor league hockey tickets, he said. Try to ensure if you're going to buy gifts that they will be put to good use, he added. "There are a lot of throwaway sort of joke gifts that are really all they're good for is Christmas morning and then they're gone."
Another option is to give a gift of charity like a donation to an organization important to the recipient, said Maloney. If cost is an issue, choose an organization where you might like to volunteer your services, she said.
If you have a large family, draw names out of a hat or pool together to buy a gift to pare down the shopping list, said Peter Blanchard, founder and co-ordinator of the website www.planetfriendly.net.
WRAP IT UP: Most wrapping paper can't be recycled since it's often blended with other materials like wax and metal, meaning it will end up in a landfill, Maloney said. Use gift bags or wrap the item in a tea towel - both items can be reused, she added. On its website, Resource Conservation Manitoba also suggests decorating plain paper bags with holiday themes and converting old holiday cards into gift tags. Hazell recommends newspaper to wrap gifts - use the colourful comic pages for the kids.
TACKLING THE TREE: "Probably the most eco-friendly option is to get a plant like a Norfolk pine or a fig or something like that that you've got in your house year-round and just use as your Christmas tree when the season comes around," Hazell said. Maloney also suggests decorating a living indoor plant or tree, but for a non-traditional but fun twist, try to create a tree made out of recycled or salvaged materials. "If someone really does prefer a traditional Christmas tree they can buy one that's locally farmed which is good for the local economy and also cuts down on transportation," she said. "They can also be chipped after you're finished with the tree and those chips can be used as mulch in the yard or garden." Those opting for a real tree should see if they can find one that hasn't been sprayed with pesticides or artificial colour, she added.
DECKING THE HALLS: Try decorating your home with items that are all natural and, in some cases, edible, like pinecones, berries, branches, berries, fruit and cookies, Maloney said. "In the end, a lot of that can be composted when you're done with it," she said. "It has a natural loop that it is a lot less harmful than something from a store." Envirozine, Environment Canada's online magazine, recommends reusing items ranging from old toys, costume jewellery to scrap materials like cardboard and bits of ribbon to make decorative ornaments for the home or tree, and using the front of old cards and kids' art to decorate walls and doorways.
When it comes to lighting up the tree or adorning outdoor porches or shrubbery, opt for energy-saving light-emitting-diode lights - commonly known as LED lights. LED holiday lights last 30 times longer than traditional miniature lights and use about 90 per cent less energy, according to Environment Canada.
"What we find is customers like them a lot because on the one hand they waste a lot less electricity," said Stephane Surprenant with Montreal-based Acces Decor which specializes in commercial and residential light installations. "We would like to think it's an environmental issue, but the real issue behind it we feel is it allows them to put lights on a circuit that would be probably otherwise overcharged." Energy-efficient isn't free rein to go overboard. Maloney suggests using an automatic timer.
THE FEAST: The average meal served in North America travels 2,400 kilometres to reach our plates, but a lot of what we eat during the holidays can be found locally, Maloney said. Items that are free range, like turkeys, and organically raised so that animals have had organic feed are often housed in a more sustainable farm, she added. "We all have traditions, and we don't want to not be able to do what we're used to doing but if there are things that are possible to find locally or to find organically, then that's a really great option and really does make a difference."
Environmental groups Forest Ethics and Environmental Defence have teamed up to offer their suggestions for going green for the holidays. Among them:
-Stay away from toxic toys and children's jewelry that may contain lead. Lead can harm the brain development of children, leading to lower IQ, hyperactivity and developmental delays. Avoid inexpensive jewelry that is a dull, grey-looking metal or seems too heavy for its size. Brightly-coloured toys (orange and red) may have lead paint, and soft plastics may use lead as a stabilizer.
Check out Health Canada's list of recalled products before deciding which toys to buy: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/index-e.html
-Avoid plastic trees. These are made from fossil fuels that consume even more energy when shipped from places like China.
-Dust off the good china. If you're having a party, avoid serving food and drink using disposable plates and cups - they will just add to the growing mountain of waste in landfills.
-Opt for recycled Christmas cards. Many Christmas cards are now made from recycled or FSC certified paper and if you buy them from local artists you can reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.
-Skip the plastic. Using reusable shopping bags can reduce the approximately 65,000 tonnes of plastic that is thrown away during the holidays in Canada. As well, looking for toys that are handmade and local will reduce the packaging they come in.
-Don't make the hangover any worse. While a reusable water bottle comes in handy after a Christmas party, avoid ones that are hard, clear plastic. Those are made with Bisphenol A, a chemical associated with adverse health effects. Choose reusable metal, glass or aluminum bottles instead.
Source: www.forestethics.org/greenlist