Photo by Leah Curtin
As the holiday season quickly approaches, more and more things are purchased. From buying the ingredients for a feast, to purchasing presents for loved ones, there is a lot of waste created. If everyone takes small steps to reduce their carbon footprint, these changes can add up and make a difference in the environment.
Recycling is not enough
Many people who participate in recycling feel that act alone is enough to reduce their footprint. This eases their state of mind about the environment, and can often lead to people buying more things that will end up in a landfill. Isobel Whitcomb at Live Science wrote, “Of all the waste produced in 2017, only 8.4% of it eventually got recycled…the United States simply doesn’t have the proper infrastructure”. The rest of the waste is just piling up in landfills, polluting the environment. Around the holidays there is a lot of waste produced from gift wrapping and cards, which contributes to the environment being ruined by trash. Recycling is just not enough to help save the environment. There are other ways to go a step further and help.
Eliminating Single Use Plastic
It is difficult in today’s society to remove single use plastic all at once, but a gradual decrease in single use plastics from everyday life will help to reduce the amount of waste in landfills. A great way to eliminate single use plastic is by bringing a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing one when out and about. Some coffee shops such as Starbucks do accept reusable cups, but because of Covid-19, they no longer accept them. An alternative may be making a drink at home using kitchenware. When making hot chocolate this year, make it at home and know that you are helping to save the planet. When shopping for holiday festivities consider using reusable and mesh produce bags if your town allows it, this will help to reduce waste.
Shopping Small and Local Businesses
Choosing to support local businesses that have a good commercial epc rating can help to reduce your carbon footprint. The goods do not have to travel as far in trucks and planes, which emit harmful gasses into the atmosphere. On top of that, buying local items make great gifts because they often have the potential to be unique and customized. Additionally, there are many small and local businesses that use biodegradable packaging that are more environmentally conscious. Larger companies tend to focus on profit, while smaller businesses often focus on profit, as well as the message that they are trying to spread. Finding a business that focuses on saving the environment can be a great way to reduce your carbon footprint while shopping.
Mindful Decorating and Gifting
If you chose to decorate for the holidays this year, be conscious if you are using light bulbs. Decorative lights use a lot of energy when multiple households are using them. This means that the power plants need to burn more fuel to make more electricity, polluting the environment even more. Putting lights on timers will help to reduce the use of energy. Additionally, cutting down trees means that there are less trees to help convert oxygen to carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, artificial trees are not much better because they are made out of plastic. If your household puts up a tree and you are looking to reduce your footprint, go for a tree that is sourced sustainably, or see if you can find an artificial tree second hand. This can help to reduce your carbon emissions. When wrapping any gifts, a small change might mean to use something that you already have, such as newspaper or reusable fabric. This has the possibility to make your gift appear unique and skipping the plastic ribbon can help to reduce waste. Lastly, instead of sending cards in the mail try a virtual card or social media message instead.
If everyone tries one of these tips, it will add up to make a difference. During this holiday season, cumulative tiny changes can make a difference in working together to save our planet.
link to the Live Science article referenced : https://www.livescience.com/how-much-plastic-recycling.html