Straw Free’s Zero Waste Guide for the Holidays + a Giveaway
The holidays are a wonderful time to send gifts to your loved ones and to spend time with family, but amongst the holiday cheer, we often forget the amount of waste that gets left behind. Here are Straw Free’s recommendations for a zero-waste holiday (plus details on our holiday giveaway at the end).
Gifts
Use cloth or bags to wrap your holiday gift. Photo Credit: Vanida Ngeam
1) Wrapping Paper/Packaging – Instead of going for one-time use holiday wrapping paper, look for other eco-friendly alternatives such as newspaper/paper bags, fabric gift wrap, or reusable gift pouches. If you absolutely want to use wrapping paper, look for wrapping paper that has been recycled from post-consumer waste – no trees harmed!
2) Avoid Plastic Gifts – Steer clear from presents made of plastic, or, wrapped in plastic. Buying and using less plastic will mean less plastic ending up in our oceans. Challenge yourself to be more eco-friendly and hunt for the perfect gift that doesn’t use plastic. *Fact: There will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050.
3) Go thrifting/Re-gift – Following zero waste rules does not mean that it’s the end of gifting unique and cool items! There are thousands of interesting finds at your local thrift store and it supports the environmental movement of reusing things that have already been produced – no manufacturing cost! You can also re-gift things that you have received that you KNOW will not be used and will ultimately go to waste. If you know someone who would love a gift that you’ve received more than you, then consider re-gifting it.
4) Give experiences – Instead of giving THINGS you can give EXPERIENCES. Concerts, movie tickets, the zoo/aquarium, etc. If you find it difficult to find non-plastic gifts for children or members of your family, you can give them a meaningful experience that will last longer than a plastic toy.
Decorations
Photo Credit: Flickr – Carol Martinez/camerabee
1) Zero-waste & delicious Bake a gingerbread house, use popcorn garland, or adorn your dining table with festive holiday fruits instead of using and throwing away holiday decorations that seem outdated year after year.
2) Fake vs Real Tree? Use a REAL Christmas tree instead of a fake one! According to the EPA, 93% of Christmas trees are recycled every year whereas plastic Christmas trees will EVENTUALLY be thrown away and will make their impact on earth forever. You can also consider a potted plant as your Christmas tree.
Trash/Food Waste
1) No single-use dinnerware – Hosting a Christmas party? Opt for real dinner plates and cutlery instead of plastic utensils, plastic straws, and styrofoam plates. These items make a lasting impact on the planet after they are thrown away and may end up in oceans which can be consumed by wildlife. *Fact: The U.S. throws away 500,000,000 plastic straws a DAY.
2) No leftovers – Don’t throw away your holiday leftovers. Encourage your guests to bring Tupperware to take home food, or pack away the food yourself to eat for the next few days. You can also collect food scraps/waste in a bin and see if your local food market accepts compost drop-offs.
~~Straw Free Holiday Giveaway~~
Straw Free is hosting a holiday giveaway for our social media followers. One lucky winner will receive six bamboo straws! Photo Credit: Diana Lofflin
In the spirit of the holidays, Straw Free is hosting a holiday giveaway for our social media followers and supporters. We will be giving away a set of six, handcrafted bamboo straws to one lucky winner. Here are the rules for entering:
1) Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram — if you follow us on all three platforms, you will have three chances to win!
2) Share this post with #StrawFreeGiveaway
3) TAKE THE PLEDGE to be #strawfree at https://strawfree.org/pledge
This giveaway is restricted to the people who live in the U.S. You must be 18 or older to enter. The competition runs from December 19 – 24, 2016. A winner will be announced on December 24, 2017.