Green Up Your Holidays!

There are lots of simple ways to celebrate the holidays while reducing your ecological footprint.  Kermit may say “It’s not easy being green,” but actually, it’s quite easy!  Here are some suggestions for reducing waste this December.

Wrapping 

Why do we spend tens of dollars (or more) on wrapping paper that is appreciated for a few seconds, torn to pieces, and then thrown away?  Here are some sustainable alternatives to traditional wrapping paper.

1. Brown paper: Less toxic for the environment since it is unbleached and not printed with harmful inks, brown packing paper can be an excellent alternative to traditional paper.  Decorate the paper with stamps, or have young children draw on the paper.  Make sure to recycle it afterwards.
2. Newspaper: If you’re getting the newspaper anyways, why not use it to wrap gifts too?  Let’s face it: CHILDREN DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE GIFT WRAP.  They care about what’s inside!



Simon's reusable bag



The wrap is a reusable bag!

3. The wrapping is part of the gift: Why not make the wrapping part of the gift?  Buy some trendy reusable totes (which often cost the same as disposable gift bags!) and “wrap” your gifts in them.  Simon’s has a really cute one for the women and girls in your life.  Another option is choosing cute tea towels to wrap gifts in, the tea towels can then be appreciated all year round in the kitchen!  For children and teens, why not “wrap” in a pillowcase that matches their bedroom, or put small gifts inside cool pairs of socks, in a tee shirt (with the design facing inwards so there’s still a surprise), in a beach towel for summer getaways, etc.  Gifts could be garnished with funky shoelaces that can be slid into their runners afterwards.  

Gift Giving

Whether for stocking-stuffers, party favours or little Hanukah treats, finding those little gifts often leaves us giving items that get shoved in the bottom of drawers and forgotten, eventually thrown away.  Here are some economical, practical and sustainable gift ideas that are sure to please almost everybody!  

Light My Fire Sporks

Sporks: Green Team approved, this handy utensil is a spoon, fork and knife all in one.  Slides easily into a lunch bag, and can even be carried everywhere to avoid that omnipresent disposable cutlery.  (Available at Mountain Equipment Co-Op)

Lush Shampoo Bars

 Shampoo Bars: Shampoo without the bottle!  And, yes, this is Green Queen (and Green Queen’s husband) tested and approved.  They last forever, smell great, and definitely get your hair clean. Bathbombs, massage bars and soaps from Lush are also plastic free gifts of pampering.  (Available at Lush)

 

I-Tunes Gift Cards: While the gift card might be plastic, it prevents all of the plastic and manufacturing costs of CDs.  Give the gift of music without the plastic.  You can also send e-certificates that are totally waste free, the gift is just a click away! (Saves you shipping costs for those long distance gifts!)  (Available at I-Tunes)

 

Reusable Shopping Bags: These are super practical and slide into your purse, backpack or glove compartment so you always have a bag handy.  I am a particular fan of Ecosax, and a quick glance at their website shows you how gorgeous these bags would look as gift wrap!  I guess I was on the right track with my section on reusable wrapping!  They sell Envirosax in many stores in Montréal, I got mine at Renaud-Bray.

Stainless steel straws

Reusable drinking straws: Plastic drinking straws are one of the top 12 polluting debris found in our oceans. There are a variety of reusable straws on the market, some in food-grade plastic, some in stainless steel.  You can even get a special brush to clean them.  I have the stainless steel ones, and as long as you rinse them after use, cleaning is no problem and there’s no gunky buildup.  I got mine from Vancouver retailer Lavish & Lime, but there must be places in Montréal that carry them too.

 

Dring Dring Bike Bell

Dring Dring Bike Bell:  Locally-made, these bike bells are cool and functional.  (I use mine mostly on inattentive pedestrians strolling in the bike lane).  I bought mine at Boutique Onze.

Reusable produce bag

Reusable Produce Bags: So, you don’t use plastic bags at the grocery store any more… except for all your fruits and vegetables!  For a few years now, I’ve been bringing my own mesh bags to the grocery store, and now I’m not stuck with a collection of those flimsy plastic bags they supply in the produce isle.  At the time, there weren’t any available on the market, so my Mom made mine.  (Thanks Mom!)  Now, they’re popping up everywhere.  If you are already making the effort to bring your reusable shopping bags, toss a few of these in too and you are making an even bigger impact!  I really think anyone who grocery shops would appreciate a set of these.  I also have some Tazzy Totes, which I found at a little grocery store by my house, they’re great! Vancouver's Lavish & Lime sells a variety of reusable produce bags, and Home Outfitter sells a brand called Hotsacks.

My cousin's indoor garden kit

Indoor Edible Garden: I got an indoor rappini gardening kit (page 8 of the catalogue) from eco cultures for my 8 year old cousin, and it was a huge success.  She loved eating what she had grown.  A variety of these kits are available at Renaud-Bray.  I think adults and children will appreciate having these edible indoor gardens!

Canadian Living also offers a list of eco-friendly gifts, but I really think mine are better!  (Not even the Green Queen wants a membership to an environmental organization for Christmas…)

Food & Drink

• Avoid using saran wrap and Ziploc bags for leftovers: Consider bringing your own reusable containers over to Grandma’s to bring home those tasty leftovers.  Mason jars are great for your soups and sauces!  Try RuMe “baggies” instead of Ziploc bags for dry snacks.  I bought mine at Indigo.

• Buy bulk, choose low or no packaging: Why buy carrots that are on a Styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic?  Buy bulk, use your reusable produce bags!  Avoid toys and electronics packaged in clamshell packaging.  You know, that rigid plastic packaging that is practically impossible to open?  When choosing between similar products, go for the one that has the least packaging and the least plastic.

• Make sure those wine bottles make it to the recycling bin.

• Remember that our tap water is perfectly fine and tasty, say no to bottled water!

• Compost all those kitchen scraps!  Many boroughs are now offering community compost programs (In the Louis-Riel district of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, I’m a member for a whopping $6 a year).  These programs run year-round.  See if your borough has a similar program!  Collect your scraps in a bucket (with a lid), and bring them to the compost once a week.  In the winter, you can even keep your bucket of scraps outdoors, with the cold, it won’t decompose and get stinky.

I hope you've found some great ideas to green up your holiday season!  

Your St. George's Green Queen