Celebrate the Holiday Season in Sustainable Style

Now that the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is over, it’s time for the holiday festivities. Here are some ideas to make your holidays sparkle and shine while being green at the same time.

Decor

The one thing all the upcoming holidays have in common is lights! Look for energy-efficient LED twinkle lights for both indoor and outdoor use. For candles that burn clean, choose environmentally-friendly options made from soy and beeswax. 

When it comes to trees, fresh is always best, especially if you are composting. The City of Chicago offers free tree composting in certain public parks every January… we’ll keep you posted when the dates are published.

Reusing decor for many years is also environmentally friendly. When items are at the end of their useful life, consider resale or donating instead of sending to the landfill.

Gatherings and Festivities 

Need a wardrobe update? Think buying or renting gently-used items at Goodwill, Ebay, Poshmark, The RealReal, and Rent the Runway.

For parties, remember to browse our Tips & Tricks and refer back to our Thanksgiving post for ideas to make your celebrations sustainable.

Holiday Greetings 

Let’s face it, mailed greeting cards by definition are single-use, and they contribute to deforestation and carbon emissions. So how else can you send holiday cheer? Check out these gorgeous and creative holiday ecards from Greenvelope and Canva. Each service lets you personalize the card to a much greater degree than a factory-made card, and you can explore them from the comfort of your home.

Wrapping It Up

Here again, reuse is best! Look for lovely gift boxes and bags that can be used year after year. For wrapped gifts, try using newsprint, paper bags, and kraft paper accented with fresh greens and berries.

If you’re buying wrapping paper, steer clear of foil and glitter. If it is not 100% paper, it is not recyclable.

Feeling crafty? Make furoshiki from holiday fabrics.

Sustainable Gifting

To encourage shopping local, Block Club Chicago has compiled a list of hometown shops, organized by neighborhood. 

According to Beyond Plastics, plastic gift cards are on the ‘naughty list’ as they are made from PVC, which is literally poisonous to produce. Consider purchasing gift cards from retailers that offer digital or paper options.

And for a goody bag gift that is explicitly sustainable and implicitly memorable, show your guests you give a crap with a plastic-free TP roll to go from Who Gives a Crap’s Celebration Edition! 

If you are still looking for more, check out this amazing Sustainable Holidays Guide from Grove Collaborative.

Happy Holidays from the Environmental Action Committee. We’ll be back in the New Year!

Like what you are reading? We invite you to leave a comment below or contact us at environment@lwvchicago.org.