Top Three Tips For A Zero Waste Holiday
We know the holiday season is going to look a little different this year, so we’ve compiled a list of eco-friendly tips to make sure that whether you celebrate virtually or in person, it’ll be a green Christmas!
DIY Decor: Pinterest is full of DIY ideas for decor, but our favourite decor tip this year is using dried orange slices to make your garland! All you need is a few oranges (bonus points if you’re saving them from becoming food waste), an oven, a cookie sheet, a knife, and a cutting board.
Cut the ends of the oranges off and slice the orange into roughly 1mm (ish!) pieces
Pat them dry with a paper towel, and place them evenly on a cookie sheet or wire rack
Cook them in the oven for 3 hours at 200 degrees and let cool overnight. Feel free to repeat this process with a cooking time of 1 hour if they haven’t dried out enough!
Enjoy the fresh orange smell, and string them onto whatever string or twine you have on hand!
Gift Giving: Choose sustainable gift options wherever possible! Donating experiences over gifts has become an increasingly popular Christmas gift. This year, we’ve seen a lot of virtual events that might not have been giftable before because of travel costs like virtual concerts, private poetry readings, dance classes, and more! We also suggest signing up a young ocean lover in your life for our Ocean Defender online course.
If you prefer something you can wrap, try gifting sustainable swaps like our bamboo cutlery or find thrifted clothing or toys to give your loved one! Buying local products also goes a long way in minimizing your carbon footprint, so buying local when we can is always our go-to.
When purchasing gifts for kids, invest in toys that encourage creativity and problem-solving such as Sea Smarts Ocean Match Cards. Well-made toys continue to entertain and challenge your kids long-term. Search local and second-hand stores for high-quality, low-impact toys.
Wrapping: Swapping out wrapping paper for sustainable alternatives has been on our radar for a few years now, but did you know the impact it can have? An article in The Guardian noted that if we recycled or swapped out just half of the 8,000 tonnes produced, we’d save 25,000 trees. Our favourite wrapping swaps are:
Use brown or recycled paper to wrap your gifts (Bonus: use pine cones or twigs with twine to add a nice touch)
Use recycled foil or newspaper to wrap your gifts
Ask a Buy Nothing Facebook Group in your area for gift bags to reuse
Wrap presents in shirts, bandanas, or other fabric!
Save your gift bags and wrapping paper this year to use next year
Whatever your celebrations look like for you this year, Sea Smart wishes you and your family a happy and safe holiday season!
