EARTH SAVERS – December 2022 – Auburn Area Democratic Club

A CALL TO ACTION

Welcome to our EARTH SAVERS webpage. AADC is committed to supporting environmental awareness. Each month author Jody Brady gives us information and tips on how to be more friendly to the environment. Your comments and tips are welcome. Scroll down if you would like to comment. Comments are curated and may not appear immediately.

December 2022
Have an Earth Friendly Holiday Season

Over the holiday season, many families spend 60% more than usual and generate 30% more household waste than usual. Normally, the average American produces 5 pounds of trash per day, or 35 pounds each week. But during the holidays, each person’s trash production increases by 25%, making an additional 1 million tons of trash a week, including more than 100 million rubbish bags. What are some ways that we can avoid contributing to this increase in trash? We can enjoy the holidays and at the same time protect Mother Earth if we follow some simple guidelines.

The biggest sources of holiday waste are

wrapping paper
shopping bags
bows and ribbons
holiday recipes
and more

Here are some great ways to reduce waste.

Prepare an Eco-Friendly Feast – eat the leftovers.
Use sustainable holiday gift wrap – I have used the same gift bags and boxes for years. Newspapers make a fun wrapping paper…and they can be recycled.
When shopping, take your own shopping bags.
Buy goods with less packaging and avoid plastics.
Buy second-hand, then donate what you don’t use.
Give an experience as a gift, such as tickets to a play or a guided tour of a nearby interesting place. Spend time together.
Buy recyclable cards and recycle any you receive.
Don’t buy what you don’t need.
Avoid tinsel on the tree.
Avoid plastic toys.
Shop locally and travel locally to reduce your carbon footprint and to support the local economy.

The Tree

The GREAT Christmas Tree Debate – Real? – Artificial? – Real? – Artificial? The BEST tree is a live tree with a root ball attached. You can plant it afterwards. Or, keep it in a big planter and use it again next year. If you have an artificial tree, try to keep it for 20 years. (Yes, 20 years!) With lights and decorations, it will continue to look great. For that “real tree” smell, just place a bag of scented pinecones nearby.

People don’t realize the issues involved in getting rid of Christmas trees. Fake trees in a landfill take centuries to break down, whereas real trees break down quickly or can be used as compost.

On the other hand, artificial trees last more than one season. Using one for many years cuts down on waste. It also cuts down on the emissions needed to transport a real tree. Some farms ship Christmas trees all the way across the United States, a process that produces tons of carbon emissions.

If you purchase a real tree, find one approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These are grown in well-managed forests that minimize the use of harmful pesticides which harm the environment and humans.

HOLIDAY MOTTO – CELEBRATE WITH LESS WASTE!