How to have a Green Christmas? Reuse, buy local to enjoy ecological holidays

article from Yahoo.com

By Lauren La Rose, THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO - Forget the forecast and those archetypal visions of winter white: from decor to dinner, many preparing for the holidays have thoughts of green on the brain.

While the season often marks a period of excess rather than eco-consciousness, experts say celebrating the holidays complete with tree trimming, gift giving and a prime-time feast that is also eco-friendly is well within reach.

The following are some of their suggestions on how to turn dreams of going green into reality.

GIFT GIVING: Buy locally and/or handmade items. After years of selling her work at craft fairs, Christi York decided to create a designated event to sell stylish and sustainable wares.

Heading into its second year, Vancouver's Green Christmas Market will feature more than a dozen vendors selling handcrafted items made out of recycled or vintage materials. Fashion designers at the event will showcase works that comprise eco-conscious materials including bamboo and soy fabrics.

"I just wanted to provide people with a totally guilt-free, no brainer shopping experience," said York, a freelance graphic designer, whose works include reworked vintage jewelry.

"If you're already going out to craft fairs and buying locally, you're halfway to a green Christmas already," she added. "The fact that all of our items are sustainable in that way is just sort of a bonus.

If you want to tackle making your own gift, try crafting a calendar or recipe book, said Coral Maloney, project co-ordinator of the Living Green, Living Well initiative with Resource Conservation Manitoba.

Provide experiences rather than more "stuff." Stephen Hazell, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada, suggests purchasing tickets to a hockey game or concert, or gift certificates for a nice meal on the town.

"They're things that people really appreciate and will use but might not do on their own."

If those options are too expensive, search for more cost-effective alternatives like minor league hockey tickets, he said.

Try to ensure if you're going to buy gifts that they will be put to good use, he added.

"There are a lot of throwaway sort of joke gifts that are really all they're good for is Christmas morning and then they're gone."

Another option is to give a gift of charity like a donation to an organization important to the recipient, said Maloney.

If cost is an issue, choose an organization where you might like to volunteer your services, she said.

If you have a large family, draw names out of a hat or pool together to buy a gift to pare down the shopping list, said Peter Blanchard, founder and co-ordinator of the website www.planetfriendly.net.

WRAP IT UP: Most wrapping paper can't be recycled since it's often blended with other materials like wax and metal, meaning it will end up in a landfill, Maloney said.

Use gift bags or wrap the item in a tea towel - both items can be reused, she added.

On its website, Resource Conservation Manitoba also suggests decorating plain paper bags with holiday themes and converting old holiday cards into gift tags.

Hazell recommends newspaper to wrap gifts - use the colourful comic pages for the kids.

TACKLING THE TREE: "Probably the most eco-friendly option is to get a plant like a Norfolk pine or a fig or something like that that you've got in your house year-round and just use as your Christmas tree when the season comes around," Hazell said.



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