I'm dreaming of a Green Christmas

Heather Little-White • Contributor

Christmas is traditionally referred to as 'white' because of the snow associated with the winter season in many countries.It's time to add another colour by 'greening' your Christmas this year, given the degradation of the environment and the additional burden placed on it during the Christmas season. Since Christmas is a season of caring, it is time to also show some concern for the environment by protecting it.

In almost every country, more household waste is produced during the festive holidays than any other time of the year. Think of what is produced just for the Christmas season - holiday cards, decorations, Christmas trees, gift-wrapping paper, packaging and uneaten food items.

According to Fran Pieri, director of education for the Pennsylvania Resources Council in the United States, most cities will pick up gifts as the biggest trash generator. He suggests that people minimise on 'stuff' purchases - like big packages with extra packaging but things like movie tickets and gift certificates do not require a lot of packaging and they are usable but don't create that environment of trash.

Green solutions

There are simple solutions to 'greening' your Christmas this year.

Give environmentally friendly gifts this season. Some suggestions include items that save energy - such as low-flowing shower heads and fluorescent light bulbs that use much less energy than incandescent bulbs. Rechargeable batteries are an especially thoughtful gift for kids whose toys require batteries that are otherwise thrown away regularly.

Not all gifts have to be bought in a store. You may want to give the gift of some type of needed services which are personal and memorable. Examples are massages, cooking courses, gardening care or car care.

Family heirlooms are priceless and appreciated. Antiques and collectables increase in value over time and create an added appeal of history. The fact that they are reused does not create a negative impact on the environment.

Use recycled paper for wrapping gifts or pre-prepared beautifully decorated gift boxes and bags. The boxes are reusable. Children can also add glitz and colour to brown paper bags.

Reuse bubble wrap instead of new tissue paper to wrap breakable items. Supermarket bags that you save are also good for wrapping ornaments and breakable items.

Recycle ribbons and use them again, trimming them down, as necessary.

If you plan to purchase new computers/electronics or receive one as a gift, donate the old units to non-profit organisation or donate it to a school or a needy family.

Use dishes for storing food instead of containers that cannot be recycled. If you have to take a dish to a party, use your crockery instead of aluminium foil pans.

Donate your holiday cards in the New Year to a day care, preschool or nursery.

Children can use wrapping paper to make bow ties and for other art and craft projects in preschool.

A tree is a tree

There are some fun, alternative options for selecting your Christmas tree this year. You can rent one or borrow from someone who has given up on trimming a tree. The old-fashioned way of wrapping dried branches with biodegradable paper or paper made from hemp, rice or any other friendly source is making a comeback. You can add decorations made by family members to create a difference. Make the switch from regular incandescent lights to LED (light-emitting diode) lights this season and watch your energy bill and carbon footprint drop. LED lights use 90 per cent less energy. Use a smaller indoor live evergreen tree to decorate instead of buying a fake tree or a cut tree.

Green shopping

Plan your shopping trip to save energy. Find all-inclusive shopping outlets to save you moving around and wasting gas.

1 Look for locally made gifts instead of those coming from across the world, contributing to cross-border transportation, which contributes to greenhouse emissions and global warming. Your craft market or craft fairs are great places to shop for locally made items. Choose gifts made from recycled source materials. Until the mid-19th century, Christmas ornaments were entirely handmade. Families can get together and make ornaments from pine cones, pieces of cloth, wood carvings, fruit and berries. Today, most ornaments are made of plastic or glass and purchased from countries far away.

2 Make ornaments out of recycled materials: pine cones, gingerbread cookies cut into shapes, paper chains made of used paper or junk mail, painted old light bulbs or ribbons made from wrapping material all make great recycled Christmas ornaments. Other examples include eco-handbags and stationery from old newspaper (www.got2begreen.com).

3 Avoid children's toys that promote violence to reduce the levels of violence in the world. Christmas is a time of peace and gifts should promote peace. Give educational toys to stimulate creativity and active play. These should be environmentally friendly, free of batteries, electronic gadgets and fads.

4 Regifting is acceptable. Despite the discussions in the etiquette of 'regifting', that is passing on a gift you received in the past but you do not really need. Regifting is practical but should be done in a way as not to offend the original giver. It is wasteful to keep that you will never use.

Nature's treat

Christmas is a time for family, a time for giving. This year, start the opportunity to start the tradition of giving back to the Earth and teaching your children the values of sustainable living. Plan to spend part of the holidays outdoors with a picnic or a walk and enjoy the gifts of nature. If you are in a location with birds, it is good to go birdwatching. You may want to plant a tree for the birds to come to for feed.

Gifts from the kitchen

Home-made gifts from the kitchen are heart-warming. People appreciate your time and your display of culinary skills. Unless the food is really horrible, you can be sure it will be consumed compared to a gift that will not be used. The gift from the kitchen is even more appreciated when you make one of the person's favourite items. The time you spend at home will also conserve petrol you would use for driving around to find the perfect gift.

Say it with flowers

One way to green this Christmas is to give what you grow. You can grow your favourite plants in recycled containers you have decorated and make these items available as gifts. These are eye-catching, and are easy on the environment. Home-grown cut flowers in a reusable vase are a nice addition to home at Christmas.

'Used' gifts

Garage sales were designed to rid homes of clutter. Very often you can find items that will great for collectors of vinyl records, tools, sports equipment, musical items and other vintage items. With a little refreshing, they make great gifts for collectors.

Importantly, remember that Christmas is about family, friends and celebration with your loved ones. You need to preserve yourself in the greening process so you can choose to stay away from the commercial blitz which encourages more spending and the tendency to consume the wrong things. Best wishes for a special eco-friendly holiday season for all.

Heather Little-White, PhD, is a nutrition and lifestyle consultant in Kingston. Send comments to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com.