Kim Hornung-Marcy

December 01, 2023

Dear Friends:
 
This is the two-year anniversary of this blog. It all began with a Christmas focus December of 2021.  Thanks so much for reading all the tips over the last two years.
 
The latest figures, according to Stanford University, show we Americans increase our waste stream 25% between Thanksgiving and Christmas and that Christmas is the most wasteful of all our holidays. 
How can we be more faithful and still celebrate the wonder and joy of this season?
 
Some of the tips below are lifted directly from my first blog, some are new. Enjoy, and I hope they add to the meaning of honoring the birth of our Savior, who certainly affirms God’s love for all creation.

1. If you use lights, make the switch to LED’s, and do not run the lights all day and night.
2. More on holiday lighting:  Consider popcorn and cranberry strings for outdoors and indoors instead of lights. If you avoid the large plastic inflatables, plastic does not recycle and ends up in landfills and is made with fossil fuels. Two years ago (the most recent figures I could find) Forbes magazine reported that increased American Christmas lighting increased usage by 3.5 billion kWh in the month of December, which increases Co2 emissions by 2 million tons. Solar outdoor lights reduce the emissions or putting outdoor lighting on a motion sensor (so it only comes on when someone is moving by it), preserves the night sky and reduces energy costs. 
3. Please buy Less, emphasize the meaning of the season. Give time or experiences rather than buying things people don’t need or want.  Give to those who are most in need. Buying locally at craft or local stores is another way to reduce your carbon footprint. Making gifts if you have ability and time is another green way to gift others.
4. A locally grown real tree has the lowest carbon footprint especially if you chip it or allow it to be wildlife shelter for birds and small critters in your yard or woods or buy a living tree you plant in your yard. Avoid sending cut trees to a landfill. Decorate a large indoor plant as your Christmas tree.  Artificial trees are plastic, may contain toxic PVCs and do not recycle. Eventually they go to the land fill.
5. Do not use metallic or shiny wrapping paper; these do not recycle. Gift bags or fabric bags or fabric with ribbon can be reused multiple times and are better than paper used only once. Making a kitchen towel part of the gift and using it as wrapping is a way to avoid waste. Harvest pinecones from a nearby woods and use them to decorate packages and wreaths.  Americans spend $2.6 billion on wrappings, including 38,000 miles of ribbon, much of which is ripped open and thrown away.  Re-use as much as possible, choose items that recycle. 
6. Make some old-fashioned decorations/gifts for both inside and outside.  Go to this post on the blog “An Off the Grid Life” for ideas for crafts with kids. These work for all ages!
7. Cards: Send email greetings and you will save a lot of trees.  Cards you receive: the fronts can become postcards sent out the next year or package decorations.
8. Food: The average food item travels 1500 miles to our tables. Buy local when possible. Food waste increases dramatically at the holidays. Offer guests smaller plates so they eat what they put on them.  Use leftovers in stews and soups. 
9. Travel: The biggest carbon footprint of all comes from travel.  If you can, travel by train, bus or electric vehicle; these reduce emissions compared to air travel.