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!
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