This year many families around the world are able to come together once again thanks to public health measures and vaccine availability, and that means making up for lost time with holiday parties! Regardless of the holidays you celebrate, it’s almost inevitable that more waste is generated during this time of year—23% more tons of waste in December, to be exact!
Our friends at the Center for Biological Diversity put together a comprehensive set of resources for all your needs when it comes to celebrating a low waste holiday season, and we’re sharing it with you in this blog post.
Create a tailored (holiday) gift wishlist
If you are trying to reduce the amount of material gifts you receive this holiday season, or want to be more intentional with the gifts and items that enter your home or the ones you share with loved ones, consider looking at the Simplify the Holidays Gift Guide! This guide is packed full of resources for alternative gifts that are more eco-friendly, thoughtful, and custom to every person in your life.
Additionally, if you have received gifts in the past that you didn’t necessarily need, consider signing up and creating a SoKind Registry, a free registry where you can list exactly what you want for the holiday season (or any occasion)! People have used this registry for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and more. The best thing about this registry is that you can add a variety of gifts ranging from specific material items you’re looking for, services (like pet or babysitting), experiences (like a trip to the spa or animal sanctuary), etc. that are specific to you. Some examples are listed on the website to help you build a custom registry for yourself or for a family member or friend!
Simplify the holidays
Most people recognize holidays in the United States when front lawns, windows, and doors are decorated with seasonal ornaments and store shelves are stocked with seasonal snacks and other products. It’s easy to be tempted with special deals like bulk candy for Halloween, sets of holiday cards, and Black Friday deals for holiday gifts, but the Simplify the Holidays campaign aims to help everyone celebrate the most popular fall and winter holidays in a low-waste fashion.
I shared some tips for hosting a low waste gathering, but the Center for Biological Diversity also has a page on simpler entertaining to ensure that you can enjoy having people over without creating too much waste.
We hope you all have a healthy and happy holiday season!
Tune in to watch Think Zero’s Senior Associate Belinda Chiu join the Center for Biological Diversity’s Simplify the Holidays webinar that aired in Fall 2021!