Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Have a Green Holiday Season!

The World Wildlife Fund offers this page detailing what you can buy safely, what requires careful shopping, and what you should avoid. Help make your holidays green for "peace on Earth."

My personal suggestions include:

  • Send e-cards instead of paper holiday cards, such as Blue Mountain or 123 Greetings.

  • If you want to send paper cards, choose ones made from recycled materials and natural inks, such as Green Field or BlueHouse.

  • If you're not too attached to wrapping and unwrapping, just skip it.

  • Instead of paper, present gifts in cloth bags, wooden boxes, or other items that can be reused.

  • Save cartons and boxes for packaging awkwardly shaped gifts, instead of buying extra gift boxes.

  • Shop for wrapping paper and gift boxes made from recycled materials and natural inks, such as from the Green Guide or Happy Hippie.

  • Use the minimum amount of wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, etc. necessary; don't put tiny gifts in big boxes.

  • Save bows; they reuse well. This works for other types of package decoration, too, such as artificial holly sprigs or ribbon made of fabric or rope.

  • Colored tissue paper for cushioning fragile items can be uncrumpled and stored for reuse.

  • Used wrapping paper that contains no plastic is a good candidate for pulping to make your own homemade paper. It tends to come out with interesting colors and textures.

  • Used wrapping paper can also be shredded for packing material and stored in a box or bag for reuse later.

  • If you have a paper-pot maker, you can use wrapping paper to make colorful pots for starting seeds, as long as the paper is natural not plastic or metallic.

  • Shop in late December or early January when remnant holiday supplies go on sale. It's easier to afford the good natural stuff when it's marked down.

Tags: environment, holiday
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  • 5 comments
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ysabetwordsmith

Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

December 19 2008, 18:42:01 UTC 12 years ago

I'm glad that people are enjoying it. I've heard similar remarks from other friends. If you want one, though, get it soon -- the annuals tend to disappear from bookstores in late December or early January.
elfinecstasy

Re: Thank you!

elfinecstasy

December 19 2008, 20:08:17 UTC 12 years ago

I've got mine in my hot little hands. :-)