Nature Connection: A More Eco-Friendly Holiday Season

Recently I had some time while waiting for someone to finish a medical appointment and I wandered into a chain retail home goods store. What I saw there left me speechless. This huge expanse of shelving and display units had been turned into a giant holiday themed shop. Not a napkin, candle holder, dish towel or tube of hand cream had escaped the wand of the holiday fairy. Everything was covered with Santa faces, reindeer in stocking caps, cats and dogs as elves, snowmen and all the things that went with the season. I tried to find an item without holiday themed décor but to no avail. Even the pans had holiday swag.

There was something about this that made me incredibly sad, for I knew it was being repeated all across the land. Most of what I was seeing was made cheaply and was meant to be thrown away after a season or two. So. Much. Waste.

Now, I am not a Scrooge or a Grinch. I love the holidays as much as anyone, but more and more I am aware of how many holiday decorations are destined for the landfill after the first of the year. Knowing this, I wonder what each of us might do to be more eco-friendly.

For one thing, perhaps we could consider the life expectancy of what we buy. Those cute holiday tablecloths and napkins? Buy cloth that can be washed and reused instead of paper or plastic. Maybe consider using ceramic and glass tableware instead of paper and plastic as well. We all know the latter can be oh so convenient, but for whom? Us? The planet? How difficult is it really to wash a few dishes if it saves a forest?

Packaging was originally meant to save the items from harm. Then, after a few things were tampered with, manufacturers doubled down on packaging to avoid being sued for possible harm. This means every holiday is followed by a massive dump run all over the world, not just in our country.

It’s too late for this holiday, but if you are so inclined, maybe write some emails or letters to manufacturers of the things you use or buy, and ask that they reduce their packaging. Ask that they consider using less plastic as well.

Buying local from people in our community is always an option, but for some that doesn’t make sense economically or otherwise. If your teen wants the latest Xbox or iPhone, a handmade ornament probably isn’t going to cut it, but maybe look at other ways you can support local shops and people. Buy from a local bakery instead of ordering from a big company. For those that give gifts to teachers and others that serve us, maybe give something handmade or a gift card to a local coffee shop, restaurant, or appropriate business rather than Amazon or national chain business.

Every item in our stores comes to us either in a truck, ship or plane. Sometimes it’s all three. If we all try to buy more locally, we will reduce some of that traffic. I know how the economy works, that jobs and money are all tied up in all that movement of goods, but there must be a more sustainable, sane way to do this. It will take work on all our parts to figure it out, but we have big brains. Let’s use them.

This season, support local farmers when you can, local garden centers instead of big box stores, independent booksellers and toy shops. Buy clothes that will last, like our grandparents did, rather than have a closet full of clothes that will barely last a season before stretching out of shape or falling apart. Talk to our children about our choices and why and how we make them. Kids love to be included in challenges and adventures, so make it fun.

There’s no need to walk around muttering “Bah, Humbug!” when we see so much cheap stuff. Just don’t support it by buying it. Retailers deal with ups and downs all the time, and ultimately, they want to sell us what we want. Remember when whole wheat bread wasn’t available in grocery stores? We, the people brought that to bear with our requests, and grocery stores heard us. These days you can find gluten free options in almost every grocery store as well because people demanded it.

Let’s demand more sustainable options, less plastic wrapping, and responsibly sourced food and goods. Let’s support a local weaver instead of buying cheap knockoffs in a discount store, and let’s buy handmade pottery from a local potter instead of cheaply made pottery churned out by a factory overseas and shipped here. 

Until recently it has always been assumed that nature could adjust to our human appetites of more, more, more. Well, the old girl is about worn out in many areas. Let’s give her a break and return to more mindful consuming. If we don’t, we may be forced into sacrificing a lot more than we once thought possible here in America. 

As for all those cute decorations? Buy if you must, but buy because you really want it and will cherish and keep it for many years to come. Some of us may enjoy sewing, knitting, building, cooking and creating for our family and friends. Others may prefer buying from neighborhood businesses, while still others will support organizations they love and respect. Do what works best for you and your family, but don’t forget our common mother, the earth.

The holidays bring out our generous spirits, and that’s a good thing. Let’s be generous this year in sustainable ways and give some thought to the ways in which we consume, whether for ourselves or for others. We don’t have to become Scroogey about it, just a bit more mindful, perhaps.