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5 Realistic ideas to celebrate a green Christmas

Christmas is the time for joy, togetherness and giving. All of us like to soak in the spirit of Christmas and enjoy the good things. We love to spend time and money for loved ones as it’s the time for celebration and indulgence. But often we do not realize how much we harm our environment by throwing out tons of garbage, limitless wastage of electricity and chopping thousands of trees.

A greener Christmas is possible by being a little responsible and considerate. Greener doesn’t mean no fun. In fact by celebrating a greener Christmas you save lot of money and avoid wastage. Here are some ideas for you to celebrate a green, yet fun filled Christmas –

1. GIFT WRAPS

Every year tons of gift wrapping papers and bags are thrown out after Christmas. This means innumerable trees are sacrificed. Why waste these papers or use them just once? Let’s reuse them. Old wrappers can be ironed under a towel and they are ready for re use. Use minimum or no cellophane on these wrappers. Instead use ribbons thus making it easy for reuse.

Even brown papers or bags can be used. If you want to make it more attractive then decorate it yourself. Kids at home would love to help you and it would be a fun holiday activity for them. Green Christmas doesn’t mean no fun! Gifts can also be wrapped in attractive clothes like scarf , mufflers or even bags. These are a lot more useful than gift wrappers.

The glossy wrappers are difficult to dispose or recycle so avoid them. Also, refrain from wrapping gifts like cycles or huge boxes that will need too much wrapping. Instead just tie a ribbon around such a gift.

2. HOLIDAY LIGHTING

Festive season is always pictured bright and flashy. We love to decorate and light up our houses and the Christmas tree. At this time of the year, it is not just the power consumption that increases but also the amount of carbon dioxide produced by these incandescent lights. A lot of this can be minimized by switching to the more eco friendly LED (light emitting diode) lights.These lights are in fact more bright and convenient too. Unlike the incandescent even if one bulb doesn’t work the rest still work. What more, their energy consumption is 90% lesser than others, thus helping you save money. The smaller the lights, the lesser the pollution.

Make sure you switch off the lights before you go to bed. If possible use solar powered lights. Eco friendly candles made from soya or bees wax are also good options.

3. GIFTS

Christmas is all about giving and sharing. The joy of exchanging gifts from near and dear makes it extra special. Gift is not about how much you spend. It’s more about how much you care. Giving gifts made by yourself gives it a personal touch. A scrap book or album with photos of the moments you cherish, homemade cakes, cookies, candies, and chocolates all make excellent gifts and also saves a lot of money.

You can also gift tickets to matches and holidays. Hand made jewelry, paintings, knit sweaters, etc. also make great gifts.

Avoid buying cards. Most of them are usually chucked into the bins. Instead opt for an e card or handmade card. If paper cards are a must, then opt for the ones made from recycled papers or even the ones sold by some for charity. Indoor plants are also a great option.

Avoid gifts that use lot of batteries. Buy more eco friendly gifts like handwoven bags, organic products, and handicrafts.

4. LIVE TREE FOR A GREENER CHRISTMAS

Christmas is always pictured with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with gifts under it. Christmas trees can be either natural or artificial ones. Avoid the artificial Christmas tree as its made of plastic and other toxic non biodegradable materials making their disposal extremely painful. Though they can be reused they are still less preferred as lots of resources are used for their production.

Instead of just buying any Christmas tree, buy the ones that are potted. They can be used for several Christmas eves to come and also add beauty to your garden through out the year. Buy trees that have been grown in certified farms and are organic.

If you do not have a garden, then dispose your tree in a responsible manner instead of throwing in land fills. The nutrients from the plant when decomposed enriches the soil. A chipper can be used. The collected wood chips are excellent biomass.

5. FUN FOOD AND FROLIC

What is fun without good food? Christmas cookies, cakes, pies, and of course the feasts and get together make the mood of the season. It’s probably the best time to explore the local market and enjoy the fresh local produce. Avoid the packed and the frozen. Nothing to match the taste and nutrition of the fresh and seasonal produce. They will also be cheaper and have lesser packaging.

It is a time of indulgence but not wastage. Avoid buying in excess. Plan according to your menu and the number of people invited. Do not throw the left overs in a bin. Use it up the next day or give it to the less privileged.

Forgo the use of plastics and paper plates and cups during Christmas parties.

Opt for a vegetarian meal. It is not only healthy but also consumes much less of your energy. Your body will require more water and energy when you consume non vegetarian food.

Let’s celebrate this Christmas with all its spirit and joy and yet keep it green and eco friendly. Merry Christmas!

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