Holiday Gift Giving
Be Kind to Our Environment
Each holiday season, Americans throw away 25 percent more trash than any other time during the year. This amounts to approximately one million extra tons of garbage per week. Just the 2.65 billion holiday cards sold each year in the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one less card, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.
When browsing for presents, look for a gift that will save you energy, as well as help the environment. If you can not find what you are looking for locally, do your shopping online. This eliminates pollution from car travel and the stress of driving between shopping centers.
Buy products from companies that support the environment. Look for gifts that are made of natural components, such as grown cotton or hemp, especially for items such as clothing, bedding, and towels. In addition, look for products that are recyclable or have been made with recycled content. Purchase products that have the Energy Star label on them to ensure they are energy efficient.
When it comes to gift wrapping, make sure to be environ-mentally conscious as well. By wrapping just three gifts with re-used materials, enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields is saved. Use wrapping paper made from recycled paper. Be creative and reuse old poster, newspaper or fabric.