Green Initiatives Newsletter - December 2008
Go Green for the Holidays
Choose a Living Tree
Although an artificial Christmas tree may save money over the years, sooner or later it winds up in a landfill. Go Green with a potted pine you can plant once the season is over or remember to recycle your cut tree after the holidays. Many municipalities' offer Christmas tree recycling programs. Visit www.earth911.com to find one near you.
Lights
Go Green with LED (light-emitting diode) lights as an alternative to the typical incandescent bulbs. They cost a little more to buy, but LED lights use 80% to 90% less power than conventional mini bulbs. For example, the amount of electricity consumed by just one 7-watt conventional incandescent bulb could power 140 LEDs - enough to light two 24 foot (7.3 meter) strings.
Turn up the Green and run them for only a few hours in the evening to save even more energy resources.
Green Your Decor
When it comes to decorating, let this be your mantra: "reuse, repurpose, recycle". Instead of buying new decorations, use items you already have. Strings of popcorn and cranberries make a beautiful, vintage-looking garlands that can later be composted or used for bird feeders. For ornaments, hang gingerbread or sugar cookies, or everyday items you have around the house, such as cookie cutters, toy, cars, Barbie accessories, even jewelry.
Give Earth Conscious Gifts
Think of all the consumables used to produce. package, ship and sell the merchandise you fine on store shelves. That takes a hugh toll on the environment. This year, add a touch of Green and give homemade gifts or ones purchased from local artists! Some homemade gift ideas include baked goods, recipes, hand sewn or knitted items.
Wrap with Recyclables
To reduce paper waste, Go Green and wrap gifts in newspaper, comic pages, brown paper shopping bags, and old sheet music. You could also decorate old shoe, hat boxes and food containers no longer used. Decorate them with tied up shoelaces, tape measures, yarn, string, or anything you come across that could fit around a package. Save gift bags and wrappings given to you by others and recycle them for next year's gift-giving.
Green Greetings
Reduce waste and mail holiday postcards, instead of the standard card and envelope. Go Green and recycle last years cards by cutting the decorative fronts off and mail them as postcards. Go Greener and email your holiday card or letter and attach some photos.
Cook with Organic Foods
Shop at your local farmers market or natural food store and prepare your holiday meals with locally grown, organic foods. Locally grown foods don't need to be transported as far, which cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions. Organically-grown fruits and vegetables aren't treated with potentially harmful synthetic pesticides that are boad for both you and the earth.
Weather you go a little or a lot GREEN always remember Safety First. For Holiday Safety tips, please visit the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and Underwriters Lab Inc. websites:
