Christmastime is generally one of the least eco-friendly parts of the year—but it doesn’t have to be. Stay off of Santa’s naughty list this year with these simple tips for an energy efficient holiday.
Buy LED lights – LED Christmas lights use up to 90 percent less electricity than incandescent.
Shop online – Driving across town all day buying gifts really racks up the carbon emissions. Instead, plan ahead and buy your gifts online.
Use real plates and cutlery – It’s no secret, people love to eat around the holidays. This year, make sure you aren’t generating trash and wasting resources by serving everything on real plates and silverware.
Put up less lights – Many times, people keep putting up lights just because they have more to put up. Make sure you’re only putting up lights you really want to put up—less can be more.
Buy a sustainable and/or potted tree – Plastic trees are not eco-friendly at all, but cutting down a tree every year isn’t either. Look for trees that have been raised sustainability or ones that are potted. Potted trees can be reused for years and eventually re-planted.
Reduce, reuse and recycle wrapping – Americans generate countless tons of waste each year just in Christmas gift wrapping. Instead of adding to the pile, look for ways to cut down on the amount you use, reuse gift bags and ribbon and recycle paper.
Organic and local foods – For your Christmas feast, try to buy as much organic and locally raised foods as possible. Bonus: your food will probably end up tasting better!
Send e-cards – Instead of paper cards, send out virtual cards this year. They may not have the full effect of a real card, but they cut down on lots of waste and carbon emissions.
Recycle your tree – If you end up with a real tree that isn’t potted, don’t just feed it to the landfill. Instead, find a recycler that can chip it up for use in gardening.
Turn off lights – Lights are great at turning up the holiday spirit, but only have them on when you are around to enjoy them. Leaving lights on while you are out of the house is just a waste.
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