(Slightly Less) Trashy Holiday Tips
Scroll down for ideas to reduce household waste this year
#1 Gifts
- Buy locally-made items instead of online to reduce energy used to ship AND support neighbourhood vendors
- Give zero waste items as gifts, like reusable produce bags and refillable containers full of yummy treats
- Give something you have that the receiver has long admired. Your thoughtful generosity will be greatly appreciated
- Give the gift of food. We all need to eat and receiving gift boxes with all the fixings for a dinner or favourite cookie ingredients with a recipe card is always on the gift menu!
#2 Holiday Cards
- Send ecards rather than paper cards through the mail. Less energy used to produce and send them
- Call folks instead. Give the people on your card list 5 minutes wishing them the best over the holidays to make a real and personal connection
- Cut up old cards to use as gift tags
#3 Gift Wrap
- Decorate boxes or old coffee canisters for the festive touch. Good news is they can be used again and again
- For those in your household, use an existing piece of clothing to wrap their present (and introduce a new holiday game called "FIND YOUR SHIRT!"
- Try the Japanese art of Furoshiki and use fabric (scarves are great or tea towels) to make amazing wrapped creations Watch YouTube How-To Video
#4 Giving Back
- Contact local organization who help those less fortunate (like Safe 'n Sound) to see what is needed this year. It's a great way to donate those extra hats, coats, gloves & mittens hiding in your closet
- Instead of buying a gift, why not make a donation instead to their favourite charity. HINT: Ask them which one first... you may be surprised!
- Go global with your holiday spirit by buying a chicken or goat for a family in a far-off country. It's easy to do online See How
#5 Decorations
- Go vintage by making garlands of popcorn and cranberries. After the holidays, decorate an outdoor tree for the birds and animals to enjoy
- Make "orange" ornaments by slicing oranges, place on a metal rack over an oven-proof tray in the oven for 2-3 hours (250 degrees, turning them once) and when cooled add a string to hang. After the holidays, move them outside as well
- Organize a wreath exchange or makeover with your friends, using ones you already own
#6 Entertaining
- Plan your event to use as few single-use items as possible. Use real glasses, plates and cloth napkins
- Purchase soda in can/cardboard boxes (no plastic). Aluminum cans are the most recycled (and recyclable) items on the planet!
- Use beeswax wraps, glass jars and re-usable storage containers to store leftovers (or what we like to call "tomorrow's dinner")
#7 Yummy Food
- Buy naked veggies and fruit you can cut up and store in glass containers in the fridge as an alternative to always grabbing that cookie
- Shop at Bulk Barn with your reusable containers for delicious nuts and candies (go ahead... treat yourself)
- Let go of your idea of that perfect holiday meal. Make something you love to cook and your guest like to eat so everything gets gobbled up
- Shop at the Farmer's Market downtown and bring containers to fill (ask the vendors first)
- Don't forget to compost what you can to help create great soil for next year's garden and flower beds!