Dec 18, 2008 3:45 pm US/Eastern
Ways You Can Have A 'Greener' Christmas
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Take a look around your house on Christmas day; chances are it will be littered with wrapping paper, boxes, toy packaging and all kinds of decorations that will eventually end up in the trash. All that holiday waste can be a strain on the environment, but with a little effort you can have a 'greener' Christmas.
RE-USABLE WRAPPING
Leah Ingram tries to do her part to protect the planet. "365 days a year, I'm trying to reduce what I'm throwing out. I am recycling. I am reusing," she said. That doesn't change during the holidays. She uses shredded newspaper to store her delicate ornaments. She even re-uses ribbon to decorate her home. "One of the things we did last year was to use re-usable bags to wrap the gifts," she explained.
Americans produce 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Paul McCrandle of
'The Green Guide', says with a little tweaking, we can all give a gift to the planet this season. "There are lots of little things you can do that will make the holidays both environmentally friendly and a lot more fun," he said.
TREE & ORNAMENT OPTIONS
Instead of a traditional tree, McCrandle suggests buying a potted tree from a local nursery. "It's a live tree; it's going to add to your landscaping outside your home after the fact. It can provide shade later in its life," he said.
You can also go green with your ornaments like edible gingerbread men. "If you've done it just a few days before Christmas you can still eat them. If not, you can hang them in a tree so a bird can enjoy them," explained Corey Colwell-Lipson, co-author of 'Celebrate Green'. She also suggests decorating the tree with things you already have around the house like cookie cutters or small antiques.
For lighting the tree, L-E-D bulbs use 1/8th the energy of standard bulbs. "L-E-D's also burn at a cooler temperature so they don't dry out the tree," explained McCrandle.
THE CHRISTMAS TABLE
There's no need to generate a lot of waste with one of those pricey centerpieces either. Colwell-Lipson suggests filling a bowl with pine-cones and cranberries then lay a slightly larger platter over the bowl with colorfully decorated cookies or candles.
For the Christmas feast, Leah puts all the leftovers and unused scraps into the compost pile. In the spring, it will be perfect for the garden. Leah says she feels good about reducing her carbon footprint. "It really feels great," she said.
RESOURCES
For more ideas on how to have a green Christmas, check out these sites:
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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