"An Inconvenient Holiday" the Environmental Impact of our celebrations

[Kat45]

>The holidays are expensive. Least of all for those who celebrate them.

>The real loser of the season is the Earth.

> We decorate our homes with shiny plastic and dying plants. We string lights across our homes and keep them running late into the night. We travel home for the holidays. Though many of us sigh over the piles of packaging left on the floor come Christmas morning, we know that we have spent a holiday revelling in excess.

>For example, Ontarians throw away almost a million extra tonnes of trash during the season. If we're good, much of our waste gets recycled. If we're not, it gets trashed or burned. Every year, our desire for family and tradition leaves a massive ecological footprint.

http://www.thestar.com/Life/article/162708

[piedmont]

1. And it gets worse every year.

I couldn't believe the amount of trash produced in my community last year.

[jilln]

2. I was just thinking about that

After Thanksgiving people throw out their decorative pumpkins. I always pick up as many as I can and bake them for my dogs. It seems like a sin to throw out food. But then I thought, it's probably LESS destructive than decorations made out of other materials.

[mod mom]

4. my pumpkins go under a bush in the front to feed the wildlife. Nothing is left

by spring.

[jilln]

5. That's a great idea

This year I got 4, which is a lot of pumpkin for us... I'll put some out for the birds.

[mod mom]

3. I no longer use wrapping paper, instead using decorative boxes (which off season

house my ornaments) and fabric (which protects ornaments off season). I also attempt to find used clothing/toys from resale shops. My children (9 + 10 have grown up learning it is better to re-use than buy new whenever possible. My husband and I give gifts to charitable organizations to each other. Also, we cut up our tree afterward as mulch for our property in the spring after the local wildlife has had a chance to use it for protection in the winter.

I realize this effort is small, but if everyone cut back we could make a difference.

[Beaverhausen]

14. Your effort isn't small

I use lots of gift bags which of course get reused each year. I like your idea of using fabrics. I might try that this year!

[mod mom]

18. I have collected pretty ribbon so wrapping with fabric requires no fasteners.

Unfortunately your idea of gift bags, although good, doesn't work for me as curious children would peek. My daughter still believes in Santa, and thinks it was his idea to fill the empty boxes to save time and effort. I also use reusable name tags.

ps-I don't mean to toot my own horn, but hope others might consider the ideas as ways to cut back on waste. I always enjoy learning new ways as well so please share.

[CrispyQ]

6. We have excellent recycling facilities in my community &

a few years ago they started accepting #6 styrofoam sometime in January. Once I realized it was a yearly event, I saved all styrofoam during the year to drop off on their one day. There is now one facility that accepts it ALL THE TIME!! :thumbsup:

Sadly, in spite of our excellent facilities, I still see huge blocks of the stuff in trash cans, especially after xmas. People just don't care enough to be inconvenienced.

[nam78_two]

7. K&R

I always wonder about the holiday lights-they put them up like 15 days before the 25th and most stay lit well into February :shrug:
And elsewhere on the planet, most people are living with no or little electricity :-/.

[Imagevision]

8. Our government avoids global warming because it would impact the economy

is it because we have already passed the point of no return??

[progressoid]

9. Ironically, this video link was on the same webpage...

http://www3.thestar.com/cgi-bin/star_static.cgi?section=news&page=/Videos/061218_weiss_lights_mid.html

[IndyOp]

10. Solar Christmas Lights!

They soak up sunlight during the day and are illuminated from dusk to dawn!
Look here: http://www.solarilluminations.com/

They are far from a "solution" -- just one step toward making choices that make a difference.

:hi:

[InvisibleTouch]

15. What a great link - thanks!! n/t

[knitter4democracy]

16. Those look great!

We don't have any outlets on the front of our house outside, so Hubby and I decided, what with all the other crap this fall, not to put up any lights. These would save us running any extension cords, and they'd be just right for our front holly bushes. Thanks!

[mod mom]

19. Great idea, though rather expensive. This is the first I heard of them.

I have started to use LED, which my architect hubbie says are very energy efficient (and the blue are incredibly beautiful!)
:hi:

[esvhicl]

11. carbonfund.org

http://www.carbonfund.org

Working Assets just sent this to me. You can make donations to offset your carbon footprtint.

Think I'll get one for those people on my list who don't really need anything.

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All!

[AnnieBW]

12. I Use Gift Bags

And re-use them every year.

[BeFree]

13. Fly?

It makes sense, does it not, that airplanes spewing their pollution high in the sky where no plants exists to absorb the co2 are the main cause of GW? Certainly the polltion from jets causes change in the air above, eh?

[Kat45]

17. I find it interesting that this article was in a Canadian newspaper.

I wonder if any American papers bother to write about such things. (Of course, a lot of Americans wouldn't bother reading it.) I know I've never seen an article about this before. This article is an excellent wake-up call for the holiday season. I'm glad a Canadian friend sent it to me. I think I'll send the link to more people.

[AZBlue]

20. Is there any site that shows the ugly houses that are overdecorated (and are wasting electricity)?

I think there should be - I'd do it myself if I knew how to set up a web page. If there's one in existence, I have a few to add to it. Not only are they just horrible to look at, but their waste of electricity is atrocious! They deserve to be pointed out and ridiculed - maybe that will change some of their minds.

[Kat45]

21. That's a great idea.

I wonder if there is any site doing that. A few weeks ago, the local news was showing a house that was extremely overlit but they were talking about the man having such wonderful Christmas spirit and how beautiful it looked. :puke:

[AZBlue]

23. Yeah, I have to drive past one of those twice a day to and from work.

I'm so tempted to buy them a copy of An Inconvenient Truth or cover their yard with flyers that explain the consequences of such a waste of electricity.

(besides which, I think it's just TACKY!)

[JNelson6563]

22. We can all make a difference

I hope many DUers read this.