Green Holidays List: 10 tips for a green holiday
December 5, 2007
Aside from the Christmas tree sitting in the livingroom, there is little about the season of giving that is green. Then again, depending on how the tree was grown and the amount of pesticides used, the only thing green about the Christmas tree might be the color of the tree needles.
To promote a mindfulness towards the consumerism of Christmas, the environmental organization ForestEthics offers ten simple and practical tips to greening the holiday season. The Green Holidays List offers alternative suggestions to toxic toys, plastic trees, store bought wrapping paper, disposable plates and cups, all things plastic and Christmas tree lights that are not powered by low-energy LED lights are among the list.
The number one tip on the Green Holidays List for a greener holiday season is asking Sears to stop sending the 1,083-page Sears Wish Book Christmas catalog. According to ForestEthics, in Canada the Sears Christmas catalog is printed using clearcut forest that threatens the caribou habitat in Ontario and the amount of energy needed to produce the print catalog could power 3,300 homes for a year.
With the internet, there are few reasons not to go paperless. Most catalogs can be browsed at leisure online.
With staff in Canada, the US and Chile, ForestEthics works to protect endangered forests. To learn more about the green holiday season alternatives and green resources for a Merry Christmas gift that our planet might appreciate, the Green Holidays List is available as a pdf document.