5 Sustainable Practices to Use this Holiday Season
by Arka
It's getting to that time of the year where all we do is spend. The adrenaline rush for the Christmas season can make you buy a whole mall and accumulate so much waste later on.
Holiday seasons are not just for shopping, traveling, sharing gifts, or being with family. It should also be that time of the year where we show our environment some care by keeping it clean.
Want a heart-warming holiday season without waste? Keep reading to find out five sustainable practices to use this holiday season.
1. Reuse gift wrappings
Since we give out many gifts during Christmas, we should learn to recycle or reuse gift wrappings.
Some of these wrappings are made with plastics, sequins, and glitter, making them difficult to recycle. Nonetheless, you can save those beautiful ribbons, boxes, and wrappings from the trash and keep them for the next holiday season.
On the other hand, instead of wrappings, you can also improvise by using dish towels for kitchen items. You can also use a blanket and a ribbon to wrap baby items. These are some nice ways you can wrap and present your gifts this Christmas.
2. Don't buy holiday decorations every year
Why buy trendy decorations each year when you still have the old ones? A good sustainable practice for you this coming holiday could be to save some money and make do with what you have.
So, as you shop for some Christmas home decor this holiday, do well to buy some traditional decor that you'll reuse.
3. Invest in valuable gifts
You can practice sustainability by investing in valuable gifts for your loved ones. Gift items of good quality can serve them better than a collection of cheaper gifts. You can also put to use your baking skills. So instead of buying them gifts, you can bake them some cake, bread or cookies as a gift. Your craft skills can also come in handy this Christmas. Design and knit a scarf for your loved ones. You can make them a hat or even a calendar.
These are beautiful gift ideas that are quite valuable. Furthermore, you can also choose to invest in the lives of your family and friends by supporting their businesses.
4. Make a Shopping List
Before heading to the grocery store, make a detailed list of the items you need. Shopping without a list can make you spend more than you budgeted. Make sure to check the pantry, freezer, and store to be sure no item is forgotten.
Aside from curtailing your expenses, a shopping list can help you minimize impulse purchases. It's never too late to start making your list; the Christmas holiday is just around the corner!
5. Don't Waste the Leftovers
This is not new to us. We can agree that most Christmas holiday celebrations bring about food waste. We often cook more than enough food and battle to finish the leftovers, which we rarely do.
So to avoid food waste this holiday, ensure you cook the right proportion of food. And when there are leftovers, find a way to remake them to taste better. Sustainability frowns at discarding meals.
Conclusion
This holiday season can be much more fun if we engage in these sustainable practices and do more. You can also encourage your friends to do likewise, and with time, it becomes a lifestyle.
So, switch off the lights when they are not in use, don't leave the tap running, learn to spend on budget, and show some love to your neighbors.
All these and more make your holiday season a joyful one. We hope you enjoy your holidays with these five sustainable practices this Christmas season.