Holidays
Holidays are a wonderful time to gather with friends and family to make memories and embrace community. Having fun and being around loved ones is important for mental wellbeing. Here are a few tips and tricks to help spread the love, sustainably.
- Consider hand making gifts, finding new items at a thrift store/Facebook Marketplace, or looking into environmentally friendly gifts. Ideas to spark creativity:
- Purchase an experience
- Reusable beeswax food wrap
- Reusable produce bags
- Pencils with seeds at the tip to plant once the pencil is used up
- Recycled notebook
- Indoor mini garden
- Meal subscription
- Outdoor games/equipment
- Solar powered phone charger
- Recycled glass birth month flower vase
- Socks that plant trees
- Sea glass necklace made from recycled glass bottles
- Natural lip balm/facial mask/beauty products
- Local made wine/beer
Valentines Day
- For jewelry, think about local or hand crafted items. Make sure if diamonds are involved they are ethically sourced.
- Look for fair trade chocolate
- Consider a handmade card!
- A potted plant lasts longer and your valentine can always remember the special day when looking at the plant.
- If you want a bouquet, check out our local nurseries!
- Organic wine is also a great touch
- Bring back handmade coupons
Easter
- Avoid the plastic eggs if you can. If not, try to reuse them every year.
- Try fillable paper Easter eggs that you can decorate and compost once finished.
- If dying Easter eggs, especially if you are eating them, try to purchase local eggs or pasture raised.
- Consider naturally dying eggs with other foods, such as beets and turmeric.
- Thrift for an Easter basket and décor
4th of July/Patriotic Holidays
- Reuse decorations
- Use reusable dishware
- Choose ethically sourced meat and add in more vegetarian options to cut back on CO2 food emissions
- Attend community fireworks/light shows instead of hosting your own
- Compost your food
Halloween
- Avoid candy with artificial dye, especially Red 40, and Yellow 5.
- Find costumes at a thrift store or have fun making your own
- Look for biodegradable eco glitter for makeup
- Be careful with cheap plastic Halloween costume pieces such as vampire teeth, as they often are made with toxic PVC
Thanksgiving
- Look for ethically sourced meat
- Bring food storage for people to take home leftovers, or encourage others to bring their own
- Try to choose organic
- Make more items from scratch to cut back on production of packaged food
- Compost
Christmas
- Use LED holiday lights to save on energy
- Artificial trees are commonly made with PVC or polyethylene plastics which are toxic to produce
- Consider getting a permit to cut down your own tree
- Look for recycled wrapping paper, find some at the thrift store, or reuse Christmas bags
- There is also compostable wrapping paper, but make sure rip off the tape before composting
- Send forest-friendly or plantable Christmas cards
- Avoid glittery decorations and accessory due to microplastics
- Invest in a reusable advent calendar
New Years Eve
- Think about purchasing your outfit at a thrifty store, consignment shop, or rent online
- If throwing a party, go electronic for party invites
- Make sure to use reusable decorations- "Happy New Year" vs "Happy 20[XX]"
- Ditch the balloons and go for paper lanterns that can be recycled
- Instead of sparklers, consider using bubbles or paper confetti.