Being green is more than a slogan it’s a way to keep garbage out of local landfills and avoid contributing to the massive amount of waste thrown away this time of year.
Consider: Americans tend to dump 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays, according to Waste Management, which provides collection, recycling and disposal services across the country.
Here is how you can help:
– SKIP HOLIDAY CARDS: These days email messages are an appropriate way to send holiday wishes. You can share photos and videos while without wasting paper or postage.
– BRING A DISH: Next time you attend a party, bring food in a reusable dish or container.
– USE CLOTH BAGS: A holiday shopping trip to the toy store or mall will inevitably leave you with tons of plastic bags, unless you help save the environment by using your own cloth or canvas bags to tote all the gifts home.
– BE CREATIVE WITH WRAPPING: Once you get those gifts home, wrap them in old maps, newspapers or leftover wrapping from last year. Using comics to wrap is a green and fun way to liven up a package. Or wrap in a scarf or some other article of clothing and you’ll give two gifts in one.
– DON’T BE SHY: Being green takes effort, lots of little ones. Don’t be afraid to start small. Give potted plants or flowers as gifts, save and reuse bows, use old wrapping as packing material for sending gifts in the mail. Once you get started, you will see how easy it is to be green year-round.
By DANIEL VASQUEZ