Holiday Conservation Measures

Ahhhh, the holidays. The season of giving, reflection, and appreciation - not to mention food, decorations, and music. How can we enjoy it all without adding to the landfills, emissions, and waste? Here are a handful of tips gleaned from the Department of Energy, the EPA, and energyideas.org:

• CARDS AND WRAPPING PAPER  Buy cards and giftwrap made from recycled paper (look for "post-consumer" content) and printed in non-toxic inks such as soy ink.  Buy cards, envelopes, and wrapping paper that can be recycled in your town. Choose those printed on white stock without metallic or plastic coatings.  Buy cards wrapped in the least bulky or most recyclable packaging. Consider substituting postcards for cards that require envelopes.  Reuse the fronts of old holiday cards as gift tags.  Avoid foil and plastic-embossed paper because it uses more resources in its manufacturing process.  Wrap gifts using old newspapers or paper bags, then let the kids decorate them.
• DECORATING  Decorate with more energy efficient mini-lights rather than the larger, old-fashioned lights. Turn them on only when someone's around to appreciate them. This practice also reduces fire hazards.  When you're not enjoying a fire in your fireplace, close the flue and block the hearth to prevent heat loss.  Replace 7- to 10-watt, outdoor light bulbs with new 5-watt bulbs. Five-watt bulbs use 30 to 45 percent less energy and will last 65 percent longer.  If you'd like to use 70 percent less energy, consider buying miniature outdoor lights. For something new and different, try to find LED (light-emitting diode) holiday bulbs. They can save you up to 85 percent in energy costs.  Use an automatic timer, both indoors and out, to turn on and off your lights. That way you won't accidentally leave them on after you go to bed or during the day.  Use fewer light strings. You can double the brightness of your lights by placing a reflector behind each bulb.  Use blinking lights. They use about half as much energy as lights that don't blink.
• FOOD  Store leftovers in reusable containers, and put them in the front of your refrigerator where they won't become 'forgotten food'!  Use biodegradable waxed paper or recyclable aluminum foil instead of plastic wrap.  Buy food gifts with as little packaging and processing involved as possible.  Recycle glass bottles and aluminum cans after the festivities.
• TREES  Buy a living tree you can plant outside or keep as a houseplant after the holidays.
  The copyright of the article Holiday Conservation Measures in Conservation is owned by Erica Myers-Russo. Permission to republish Holiday Conservation Measures in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

  Go To Page: 1 2

  Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic