Reclaim Your Holidays

Practical ways to create meaning

Holiday Waste Reduction

Many ideas throughout this site promote waste reduction over the holidays. Here they are, all together in one place:

Give gifts of experience (pdf)

Examples:

rather than give more stuff, give tickets to an upcoming production
help fund a child’s summer camp
treat your friends to a night out

Second-hand is in vogue (pdf)

Examples:

think vintage clothing and jewelry for teens
try Craigslist for sporting goods
find a one-of-a-kind gem at local antique stores and flea markets

Clear away the holiday clutter (pdf)

Examples:

give consumable gifts (like food!) or gifts of experiences (like movie tickets)
donate to a charitable organization or spend time serving others
be good to yourself (get a massage) and to others (treat a friend to coffee)

Decorate with green in mind (pdf)

Examples:

make homemade ornaments that create memories, and cut back on waste and packaging
recycle your tree so it can be used for compost or wood chips rather instead of just laying around in a landfill for 30 years

Plan a green get together (pdf)

Examples:

if you compost, find compostable dinnerware to ease the landfill and save on cleanup
set a compost bucket and a recycling bin next to your garbage can with a sign to help your guests sort their items
focus holiday entertainment around games and activities rather than around food or gifts

Recycle through the holidays (pdf)

Examples: