10 Tips for Low-Waste Holidays

The holidays are notorious for excess and overconsumption. It’s not just bad news for the planet, though: this excess also creates stress, both emotionally and financially. Together, let’s discover new ways to enjoy the holidays while reducing the stress that many of us feel during this time of year.

1. Try a living Christmas tree that you can plant afterward. Other options? Look for a tree rental service, or dress up a houseplant! “And if you opt to buy a Christmas tree, ensure that it is disposed of properly by sending it to compost,” says Meera Jain, an Instagram eco-blogger (@thegreenmum), elementary school teacher, and a mum of two girls.
2. DIY Christmas crackers out of cardboard toilet paper tubes and upcycled tissue paper.
3. Send e-cards rather than paper cards, or make cards out of upcycled materials such as scrap paper.
4. Consider an eco-friendly host gift, such as wax wraps (an alternative to plastic wrap), a houseplant, or homemade bread.
5. Make beautiful ornaments out of dried orange slices.
6. If possible, write a “wish list” for yourself and your children to kindly encourage others to buy only what is needed.
7. Skip the glitter! Found on everything from greeting cards to decorations, the vast majority of glitter is a microplastic—an eco “no-no.”
8. Opt for natural candles, such as those made from pure beeswax or soy.
9. Put your food scraps to good use: make broth out of veggie scraps, and consider making stovetop potpourri out of leftover apples and oranges mixed with spices.
10. Be an outfit repeater! No one cares if you wore that holiday dress last year—they likely won’t even notice.

For more, check out Conscious Celebrations