May Your Holidays Be Merry and Waste-Free

 

The holidays can be a stressful time of year - busy stores, impatient shoppers, financial stresses, and the pressure of finding the perfect gifts for loved ones. Let’s face it, the holidays have become a season of consumerism and that just might be what's taking some joy out of the season. The holidays are not only stressful but they can also be incredibly WASTEFUL. The more eco-conscious I became the more guilty and overwhelmed I began to feel around this time of year. This is an ongoing journey and I am by no means perfect, but for the past two years now I’ve been taking actions to reduce my footprint. My hope is this will inspire you to do the same. So, what does eco-conscious mean? Eco-conscious simply means showing concern for the environment. Being eco-conscious means you are aware of the impact you make and therefore take more mindful approaches throughout your daily practices. The secret to an eco-conscious holiday is to simply be more MINDFUL.


Enjoy our holiday guide below with tips and tricks on how you can be waste-free this holiday season.

 

2019 Holiday Guide

 

Waste Free Gift Ideas

Four principles to shop by this holiday season:

  • CONSUME less

  • Choose experiences over stuff

  • Shop local

  • Support ethical & sustainable companies that are good for you & the planet

 

1. Give the Gift of Experiences

Experiences make the PERFECT zero-waste gifts that you and your loved ones can enjoy together.

  • Get out and enjoy nature with a picnic and a hike.

  • Take a trip to a museum, botanical garden, aquarium, etc.

  • Ticket to a broadway show or concert.

  • Enjoy a wine tasting with the wine lovers in your life.

  • Zen out together at your local yoga studio.

  • Relax and unwind with a massage or facial.

2. DIY Projects

Before going out to purchase a gift consider whether you can make a more meaningful present at home. DIY gifts will help you save money, avoid the crowded stores, and step into your creative self. Who doesn’t love a homemade present?!

DIY ideas for the perfect holiday gift:

  • Knit, crochet, or macramé a gift

  • DIY all-natural candles

  • Plants - Check out your local nursery for plants and get creative by decorating planter pots.

  • Baked treats - Bake your friends and family holiday treats or all-natural dog biscuits for the animal lovers out there.  

This year we’re getting crafty with our favorite yogurt brand, Oui yogurt. We love Oui because it’s packaged in glass jars that are actually recyclable unlike most yogurt containers AND the jars are great to reuse. Check out https://www.ouibyyoplait.com/crafts/ for some awesome craft ideas.

Another thing you HAVE to check out this holiday season is Facebook Marketplace. This a great place to find new & used items that are being sold in your local area. We’re getting crafty this year using an old thrifted cart found on Facebook Marketplace and upcycling it into a cool bar cart!

While buying new might seem easier, making something on your own is promised to be unique, can save you money, makes a HUGE impact, and is just that more meaningful.

3. Re-gifting

Now I know re-gifting can have a negative stigma around it but some gifts just never lose their charm! Books are AMAZING items to re-gift. Declutter your bookshelf and gather together some old novels you think your loved ones would enjoy. Maybe even leave a thoughtful note inside.

4. Shop Local & Support Sustainable Companies

Let’s face it there are just some people you HAVE to buy gifts for. When shopping for loved ones first try considering what the person you’re shopping for truly needs and how much use they’ll get out of the item. Try avoiding unnecessary trinkets that will just get pushed aside and eventually tossed in a landfill. When shopping we encourage shopping local and supporting companies that are doing good for the planet.

 Here are some of our favorite local shops and businesses in Monmouth County:

Eco-Friendly Brands & Companies to check out:

  • Pact - organic & sustainable apparel

  • Package Free Shop - zero waste kits & package free supplies

  • Blueland - plastic-free cleaning supply kits

  • Nudigoods - plastic-free & biodegradable beauty products

Consider giving up fast fashion when shopping this holiday season and check out nearby consignment shops. If you have a friend or family member that is thrifter get them a gift card to their favorite thrift store.

Some of our favorites in the area include:

The Sustainable Santa

THE Parent’s Guide to a ECO-conscious Christmas

(Inspired by The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast ‘Ethical Gift Giving for You & Me’)


Now you may be thinking as a parent how on Earth can I follow this conscious holiday guide? Maybe this time of year you feel the pressure of having to purchase all the items on Santa’s list, or you feel like the tree will look empty without lots of presents underneat. But less is more people! While gifting this holiday season, it’s important to remember QUALITY over QUANTITY! Stephanie Seferian from Sustainable Minimalists shares how she practices eco-conscious gifting during the holiday season using 6 Intentional Gift Rules. The idea behind this is to gift your child SIX gifts that are both intentional and meaningful. This technique helps reduce waste and teaches your child at a young age how to choose with care. Get creative with it and have your child use these guidelines when writing their list to Santa.

The 6 Intentional Gift rules:  

1. What’s something they want?

2. What’s something they need?

3. What’s something they can wear?

4. What’s something they can read?

5. What’s something they can share?

6. What’s something they can experience? 

Check out The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast for more family friendly ways to bring sustinability into your home!

Waste Free Wrapping

Wrapping paper can be extremely wasteful. In fact, most wrapping paper is not recyclable as they are often chemically dyed and lamented with non-paper material, aka PLASTIC! 

According to the National Environmental Education Foundation, the United States produces 1 million extra tons of garbage each week during the holiday season.

To reduce your waste this Christmas, ditch the single-use wrapping paper for a reusable or recycled alternative, swap out tape for twine or string, and use dry lavender or fresh pine in place of ribbon.

Here are some reusable wrapping ideas:

  • Recycled paper bags or newspaper

  • Pillowcases

  • Bandanas or scarves

  • used boxes

  • Reusable bags

Wrapping gifts this holiday season can be another chance for you to tap into your creative side and have some fun with it. OH and let’s not forget all that money you will be saving on wrapping paper!

HOSTING THE PARTY

Hosting the party can be A LOT of work and let’s be honest it may seem more convenient to purchase disposables than having to deal with the headache of cleaning the mess later. However, with a mindful approach going green isn’t as inconvenient as you may think. Some party fouls to avoid this holiday season are disposable tablecloths, plates, cups, and utensils, and LASTLY food waste.

Sustainable holiday party ideas:

  • Send out digital invitations

  • Decorate with homemade decorations

  • Avoid food packaged in plastic

  • If you compost encourage your guests to use the compost bin for food waste

  • set the table with reusable cups, plates, napkins, and utensils

  • use a cloth dinner table instead of a single-use one

“The U.S. wastes an estimated 34 million tons of food annually.” Brian Walsh, Science Time

Here’s how you can avoid food waste this holiday season:

  • Don’t over-prepare - make just enough food for your guests

  • Encourage your guests to bring reusable containers with them for leftovers

  • Get creative with holiday leftovers

  • Freeze leftovers & eat at a later time

  • Bring leftovers to your local food pantry

We hope this guide inspires you to go green this holiday season. May your holidays be merry & waste-free!

-Nadia Serghis & The Plastic Wave Project

 
Rita Hjelm