The holiday season is a time to share and show you care with family, friends and neighbours. This year, show you care about the environment too by being as eco-friendly during the holiday season as any other time of year.
Hanging decorations, gift giving and visiting with loved ones are rituals for many Canadians. Here are a few simple ideas that you can add to your holiday tradition, making this season a little greener.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) Holiday Lights - Four Great Reasons to Switch
LED holiday lights:
LED (Light Emitting Diode) Holiday lights.
Use up to 90-95 per cent less energy;
Last at least seven times longer than conventional lights;
Are more durable, with no filaments or glass bulbs to break, and;
Produce very little heat, reducing the risk of fire.
Christmas Tree
Try a potted tree this year. You can plant it in your yard in the spring or grow it on your balcony.
If you get a traditional real tree, contact your municipality to find out if there are any tree collection programs in your area.
Christmas tree farms absorb greenhouse gases that could otherwise get into the atmosphere and accelerate climate change.
Ornaments
Decorate your tree with handmade ornaments, strings of fresh cranberries and popcorn.
Buy ornaments that you can re-use for years to come.
Gifts
We all have things at home that don't work or look the same as they used to. Give the gift of repair or refinishing of something that is prized by a loved one.
Buy a gift that is eco-friendly and will be cherished. There are many stores that specialize in these products. You could consider buying an Eco-LogoM certified product or something from the Energy Star® program, a symbol of energy efficiency.
Give a gift certificate for a course a friend has been interested in or a certificate promising to help them with a project.
Fast Facts
LED holiday lights use up to 90-95% less energy.
If you get a traditional real tree, contact your municipality to find out if there are any tree collection programs in your area.
Use fabric gift bags instead of wrapping paper. You can create beautiful, personal bags that will be cherished by the receiver and are re-usable.
Avoid using disposable dishes. Select paper over plastic if you have to use them.
Give the gift of repair or refinishing of something that is prized by a loved one.
Use fabric gift bags instead of wrapping paper. You can create beautiful, personal bags that will be cherished by the receiver and are re-usable.
Comic Strip wrapping paper is fun for all ages. Look for the special holiday comic edition or use a collection of his or her favourite comic strip characters.
Newsprint roll-ends can be picked up from your local newspaper and make a great holiday project for young and old. Use your imagination to design and colour your own wrapping paper.
Use pine cones, evergreen branch tips, holly berries and other colourful natural pieces to put the finishing touches on your gifts rather than commercial bows and ribbons.
Take care when opening this year's presents and save the paper and ribbons for use next year!
Travelling
Consider car pooling or taking the bus when possible.
Maintain your vehicle and check your tire pressure. A poorly maintained vehicle can increase fuel consumption by up to 50 per cent.
Avoid idling. Modern engines need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving.
Remove extra weight in your car and be sure to brush the snow off the roof and out of the wheel rims.
Eating
Avoid using disposable dishes. Select paper over plastic if you have to use them.
Compost your organic kitchen waste.
Pay attention to heavy packaging and try to select products that produce less waste.
Recycle all recyclable materials.
Keeping Warm
Reduce wood burning since it is a major source of winter smog. When wood heating, be sure that the chimney is clean and that the woodstove is EPA certified.
The house can get warm with guests and cooking. Before it gets too hot in the kitchen, turn down the thermostat rather than opening a window.
Change the direction of the fan to push warm air down in the winter.
Use caulking and weather-stripping to seal air leaks. Cover leaky windows with storm windows or plastic.
A lot of people may be coming in and out. Be sure that the doors are closed tight to keep the warm air in for your guests.
