Fourteen ways to green your holiday:
1. Bring a reusable bag when heading out to the store for some holiday shopping.
2. Make unique and recyclable gift tags by reusing the fronts of old holiday cards.
3. Wrap your gifts in recyclable materials such as magazine ads, old maps, newspaper, or in reusable items such as cloth bags, scarves or tablecloths.
4. Save used wrapping paper for next year or use it to store delicate holiday decorations.
5. Use a potted spruce or evergreen if a tree is a holiday tradition in your family; they can be planted in the garden later.
6. Decorate with everyday foods such as cranberries, popcorn, nuts and fruit, which can be fed to birds or composted after the holidays.
7. Make your own gifts: paintings, knitted or crocheted items, jams, preserves or baked goods. Your recipient will appreciate the time and effort put into their gift.
8. Give ‘experience gifts’ like tickets to the local theatre, a concert or sports event, or gift certificates to local restaurants or spas, or services.
9. Donate to a charity in someone’s name.
10. Shop all year long at the Thrift Shop and garage sales and flea markets for second hand gifts and put them in a gift stash. That way manufacturers do not receive the message, ‘Hey, they are buying this stuff, we better make more.’
11. Go to www.storyofstuff.org and watch its videos.
12. Use www.trashnothing.com to request or offer free stuff.
13. Buy locally produced foods and goods.
14. Share this with others.
Diana Hardacker
Chemainus