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BYOB
bring your own shopping bags
plastic and cloth bags can be folded into purses and pockets
consolidate your purchases into one bag
avoid getting a new bag at each store on your shopping rounds
CARD SENSE
send e-greetings to family, friends, and business associates
update and pare down your holiday mailing list
cut old cards into shapes and seal with clear contact paper
the 2.65 billion cards sold yearly fill a football field 10 stories high
if we each sent one card less, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper
CHOOSE TO REUSE
get a tree that can be planted or mulched afterward
buy an artificial tree
compost your food wastes
each home reusing 2 ft of ribbon would save 38,000 miles' worth
(that's enough to tie a bow around the entire planet!)
CUTTING DOWN ON FOOD WASTE
after the party, don’t throw away the leftovers
put food in plastic containers and send them home with guests
donate leftovers to food banks or shelters
plan meals wisely and practice portion control to minimize waste
at least 28 billion pounds of edible food are wasted each year
(that's over 100 pounds per person!)
one less cookie on Santa’s plate reduces snacking by 2,000,000 lbs
FUSS-FREE GIFT GIVING
plan your shopping in advance
consolidate your shopping trips saves fuel (and aggravation)
avoid last minute frenzies when you don't make careful gift choices
give gift certificates if you don’t know what someone wants
or simply make a donation in his or her name to a favorite charity
give gifts that encourage others to use less stuff
(ex: book on making crafts, cookbook for leftovers, reusable totes)
give homemade food or something you’ve made yourself
for kids, start a savings account or give stocks or bonds
shop for gifts at antique stores, estate sales, or flea markets
donate unwanted gifts and items the kids have outgrown to charity
HOME SWEET HOME
there’s no place like home, especially during the holidays
save time, energy, and money by staying home
pretend you’re a tourist visiting your own town
call AAA or your Chamber of Commerce for info
you’ll be amazed at the attractions you’ve never visited
reduce the amount of gas used during a heavy travel time
patronize local businesses to help keep your local economy strong
driving 20 fewer miles this holiday saves about 1 gallon of gas
(each home doing it reduces emissions by 1,000,000 tons!)
KID STUFF
when buying electronics, buy rechargeable batteries
hide presents and make the kids’ search into a treasure hunt
get the kids to make their own tree ornaments
use things you already have around the house
use twigs, bark, flowers and herbs, pine cones, etc.
old clothes and jewelry make a great dress-up box for kids
tools and gadgets make a great idea box for a young inventor
LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE WALKING
e-commerce is the future -- but it's not necessarily waste-free
choose items that won’t be excessively packed for shipping
when shopping by catalogue, cancel the ones you don’t need
in 1981 the average household received 59 mail order catalogues
by 1991 the number had increased 140%, to 142
canceling 10 catalogues eliminates 3.5 pounds of trash per year
(if we all did this, the stack would be 2,000 miles high!)
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
get outdoor light strands that are wired in parallel
separate circuitry keeps the rest shining if one bulb blows out
all you have to do is replace the bulb
series wiring makes it impossible to find and replace a single bulb
the smaller the bulbs, the lower the wattage
low wattage bulbs consumes less energy
low wattage bulbs give off less heat, making your lights safer
bring your own camera instead of using disposable cameras
faster film speeds (400 or 800) extend battery life
purchase rolls of 36 exposures (not 12), and reduce waste by 67%
you also save about $4, or 40% in cost
SHOP LIGHT...AND SHIP RIGHT
pick gifts that are easy to ship and won’t require excess packaging
reuse packing cartons
reuse peanuts, shredded newspaper, and bubble wrap
give packing peanuts to local private mailing centers for reuse
call the Plastic Peanut Hotline at 1-800-828-2214 for info
stores often offer discounts for returning cartons and boxes
WRAP IT UP
think of gifts that don’t have to be wrapped at all
(ex: event tickets, gift certificates, plants, or gifts of your time)
when giving oversized gifts, just tie a bow around them
wrap gifts in maps, newspapers, comics, or fancy holiday gift bags
kids’ art work is perfect wrapping for presents to grandparents
use brown paper grocery bags to wrap boxes for mailing
make the wrap part of the gift
(ex: cookies in a flower pot or hiding jewelry in a pair of gloves)
keeps your gift under wraps and the "wrapping" out of the trash
YULETIDE PARTY GUIDE
turn down the heat before the guests arrive
(save energy while the body heat of your guests warms the room)
for formal affairs, rent seldom worn party clothes
buying formal outfits from consignment shops
rent dishes and glassware (no need to buy special holiday china)
walk to neighborhood parties
carpool with friends if it’s too far to walk
UseLessStuff is dedicated to helping people use their precious resources more wisely. For more info, visit the Use Less Stuff website at www.Use-Less-Stuff.com.
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