Low Waste Holidays
It’s the circle of liiiiiiiife! Climate change is a driver of disasters. Landfill is a driver of greenhouse gases exacerbating climate change. Overconsumption is a driver of landfill. In a circle, in a hoop that never ends! As we reflect on this unending hoop, we’re feeling inspired by the Center for Biological Diversity’s Simplify the Holidays campaign. They’ve found that most people are stressed out about the holidays, think we’re putting too much emphasis on gift-giving, and wish holidays were less materialistic in general. Christmas in particular is a money pit that generates massive amounts of waste. Their stats back up the fact that our holidays are out of control, from a sustainability standpoint. Here are some of our favorites… or maybe our least favorites:
- Americans spend more than $6.1 billion on Christmas trees each year.
- The United States creates 5.8 million tons more waste in December than in other months of the year. That’s equivalent to the weight of 28,713 Boeing 747 airplanes.
- In 2017 nearly one-third of people who accepted a gift they didn’t like threw it in the trash.
- Retailers dump about 25% of returned products in landfills. In 2019 it was found that retailers dump 5 billion pounds of returned products in U.S. landfills each year.
- A 2018 analysis estimated that 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper are produced in the United States each year and about half of it (2.3 million pounds) ends up in landfills.
- In a survey of American women in 2021, 46% reported they’d be thrilled to get a weekend break or a holiday, 42% said they’d be happy to receive some credit at their favorite shop, and 36% would love a handmade present.
If you’re feeling the social pressure to give gifts this season, give something they really need, plan an experience, make something simple (who doesn’t love a cookie?), or use a wrapping that can be reused or recycled. Your loved ones will appreciate your effort to reduce their landfill burden.
Did you know? Most wrapping paper can’t be recycled! If you’re not into the kraft paper aesthetic, grab some scarves or tea towels from your local thrift store and impress your loved ones with lovely (and easy) furoshiki wrapping. The giftee gets something extra they might like to use all year, or they can keep it to use again as a wrapping next year. Happy holidays!
