Let's
face it, while holiday decorations inspire cheer, they often require
too much energy to produce, transport or use. There are better ways to
decorate...
Easy Things You Can Do
Replace your old incandescent tree lights with LED lights
instead, available at most hardware stores. LED holiday lights burn up
to 95% more efficiently than the old lights and, a big bonus, when one
bulb goes out the remaining lights will remain lit! LEDs also last
longer – up to 10,000 hours compared with 5,000 hours for incandescent
bulbs. Note: It’s best to replace all your old lights than mix up the
two types. To recycle old lights, take them to Green Citizen at 4500 El
Camino (near San Antonio) for a fee of $.50/lb
Or try solar-powered LED lights.
Using eco-friendly LED lights, they charge during daylight hours and
automatically turn on at night. While still fairly novel, you can find
solar LEDs online at
Gaiam and
TreeHugger, and local hardware stores may carry them as well.
Buy the greenest tree possible:
- Visit a local tree farm.
Nearly all cut holiday trees are grown on tree farms — meaning their
stock is replenished yearly and forests aren’t hurt by choosing a cut
tree. Tree lots often sell trees shipped here from out of state, and
while many of those farms do good things for their communities, why not
support tree farms in our own backyard instead? There are numerous tree
farms in San Mateo County near Half Moon Bay and in the Santa Cruz
mountains. And don't forget to recycle your tree afterward. Check with
your city government or go to earth911.org and enter your ZIP code to find out where to have your tree recycled.
- Why not a fake tree?
They require a significant amount of energy and petroleum-based
materials to manufacture. Plus, artificial trees are often manufactured
overseas and shipped thousands of miles before they reach our living
rooms.
- Invest in a living tree. Local nurseries
stock numerous varieties of evergreens that can be kept in the pot
during the holidays and planted in the garden afterward, if you have
room for it
Fair-trade artisan-crafted ornaments and decorations.
If you must buy new decorations and ornaments, make the most of your
dollars by supporting fair-trade organizations. Organizations like
Global Exchange,
Gaiam, and
World of Good
are empowering craftspeople to preserve their rich cultural traditions
and create better lives for their families and communities. Each time
you purchase a fair trade product you forge a connection with inspiring
artisans, helping them to achieve livable wages, skills training and
sustainable business development, while breaking the cycle of poverty.
Buy a natural wreath for your door.
Your local farmers market will likely have a vendor selling holiday
wreaths that are fresh and beautiful and made from local greenery. To
find a farmers market nearest to you, visit:
http://www.localharvest.org.
