Dreaming of a Green Christmas

I'd like to share a little about being eco-friendly. Even if you think global warming is the biggest hoax since the Balloon Boy, I still see nothing wrong with taking care of the earth and leaving it in better shape than you found it. I promise this post won't be a guilt trip like the sad commercials with the polar bears stranded on a melting ice cap. (I have to turn the channel every time. It's too sad).

We've probably all heard of the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. The words are listed in order of the impact they have on the environment. The first step is reducing your waste and consumption altogether. Next, reuse what you can and find a new purpose for it. Then recycle what cannot be reused. As with most environmental choices, there's usually no perfect solution or alternative. Recycling takes energy, reusing containers means running the water to wash them out, but reusing and recycling is much more efficient than creating a new product from scratch. It's easy to become overwhelmed with trying to become eco-friendly, but start with small steps. Focus on one new task each week or month instead of trying to do everything at once. Before you know it, it will become your normal way of life.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Reusable Gift Bags - It's hard to see trash bags full of wrapping paper and gift bags being thrown away each holiday season. Consider reusable gift bags or wrapped boxes with separately wrapped lids. I'm starting to see more of these in stores. Hobby Lobby has some really cute felt bags, and their Christmas goodies are 50% off right now. Maybe you can't put every gift in one, but try using them with small gifts and with people you know will reuse the bag. They can either use the bag for another purpose at home, or put a gift in it and pass it along to someone else. When I was younger, we had a special "Birthday Box" at our house with the lid wrapped separately. My birthday gifts were always in that box. Start a tradition in your family this season, but be sure to find a good hiding place for it if you have snooping kids. I'm speaking from years of experience as the snooping kid.

These are by Red Kettle on etsy, but if you know how to sew, you could easily make them.

• Look for items with less packaging - Individual packaging might save a few seconds when packing a lunch or running out the door in a hurry, but it creates more waste. This is very prevalent with food items. Instead of buying a box of 10 small bags of chips, buy the regular size bag and put a serving in a reusable container. Use a BPA-free water bottle instead of throwing out a plastic bottle after each use. If you have coffee or lunch at work, use a mug and flatware instead of plastic and styrofoam.

• Reusable shopping bags - Tons of stores offer these now, but there's no need to buy a matching one for every store you shop in. You may already have some that would be good for groceries and other stores like Target. When I taught, it seems like I always got a canvas bag at every workshop I went to, so look for things like that around the house. I find it's a lot easier to carry these bags than the standard plastic bags from the store. I know some people reuse plastic store bags for pet "droppings" or carrying your lunch, but they will still eventually get thrown away. If you have a big stash at home, look for recycling bins for them at your grocery store.
• Cut down on items that are single-use. A lot of items are single-use for the convenience of not having to wash or clean it. Cleaning may add a few minutes to your day, but it eliminates waste and saves you money. Some examples of single-use products: drop-in bottle liners, plastic utensils, Swiffer pads, disposable diapers and wipes, paper napkins, plastic water bottles. Try using a wash cloth dipped in warm soapy water instead of Swiffer pads. We wash bottles each night, but it takes less than 5 minutes and beats repeatedly buying boxes of liners or discovering that you've run out of them with a hungry baby.
• Look for ways to reuse before recycling or throwing away - Get creative and think of ways to use empty containers before throwing them away. Gerbers baby food containers are a great size for water to use with water color paints. You don't have to worry about your little one spilling a big cup of water. They can also hold hair clips, paper clips, etc. Use them to organize the junk drawer (or three) that we all have in our homes. Empty cereal boxes can become building blocks for a fort or doll house. Other containers that might make good blocks or drums: oatmeal canister, sour cream, yogurt, cardboard boxes, tissue boxes. With a little imagination you can think of ways to reuse things you would normally throw away.
• Turn off the "heat dry" setting on your dish washer. Wait until it is full to run it. Run a cycle as you go to bed and let them dry overnight.
• Wash more clothes on "cold" and wash full loads instead of a few items at a time. If you realize at 10 pm that you need a certain item or uniform for the next morning, put a full load in and get your money's worth out of the washing and drying cycle.
• Find out about recycling pick up in your city. We are very fortunate to have recycling picked up at our home each week, and the best part is that we don't have to sort it. They accept aluminum, paper, and plastic. On average, the recycling bin is full, and we have one bag of trash.