Sustainable Holiday Tips

This holiday season, make a point of reducing your environmental footprint! Find local, sustainable businesses offering products and services that tread lightly on our planet and sustainable holiday tips to help you reduce waste, conserve energy, and travel smart.

Green up your holidays with these sustainability tips!

Shop Green

Buy from businesses in The Green Spot to support our local economy - your friends and neighbors.
Look for quality gifts that will be used, will last, or are made from natural materials.
Chose gift certificates, tours, memberships, experiences or consumables.

Find nearly 200 local, sustainable businesses here.

Travel Smart

Carpool, bike, take the bus, or walk to your shopping destination or holiday party.
Keep your tires properly inflated to increase your MPG.
Check into public transit options for long distance travel.

Find transportation options here.

Reuse

Use fronts of old cards to create postcards or gift tags.

DID YOU KNOW?

If every American family
wrapped three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields!

If you get a cut tree, be sure to recycle it.

Save wrap (especially foil backed and tissue) and ribbons - these items are not recyclable - to wrap future gifts.
Shop at second hand stores for quality gifts and supplies at half the price.
Reuse those packing peanuts to mail your next package or take them (clean) to Macy's or Pack Ship and More and they'll them to use.

Find stores specializing in resale here.

Conserve Energy

Set your thermostat to 68 or below during winter months.
Opt for LED holiday lights that will last for years to come.
DID YOU KNOW?

LED holiday lights use 90% less energy than traditional holiday lights and can have up to a 50,000 hour bulb life.

Put your lights on timers.
When batteries are needed, choose rechargeable.
Defrost food in fridge instead of microwave.
Turn down thermostat when cooking or entertaining; these will naturally warm the home.
Unplug appliances when not in use.

Find resources to improve your home's energy efficiency here.

Reduce Waste

Bring your own bags.
Use dishware that can be washed for reuse.

DID YOU KNOW?

Americans produce 5-10 pounds of waste each day, and 25% more during the holidays. That's an additional 5 million tons of garbage!

Compost your food waste.
Recycle food packaging such as boxes, cans and bottles.
Recycle the those catalogs, cards & envelopes, cardboard boxes and junk mail.
Carry a mug for that mid-shop coffee break.
Keep burned out holiday lights out of the landfill, they are recyclable at Lowe's!

Find more tips on having a zero waste holiday, at home, here.