We get it, the holidays can be a tough time to stay environmentally-conscious. There is a lot of additional waste produced this time of year; excess food, packaging, gift wrap and all sorts of plastic decorations, just to name a few.
That’s why we put together the Holiday Green Guide. We asked POW Canada employees for a few of their favourite tips to help us all be just a little more green this holiday season.
Give Experiences Over Material Purchases
This one’s a classic, but giving experiences/services rather than material goods is a great way to stay green this holiday season.
A lift ticket to your local ski hill, registration for an AST course, or a voucher for a ski wax/tune could be the best gift the snow-lover on your list receives this year!
Gift and ReGift
Is someone you know looking for a ‘new’ pair of skis? Or maybe they want to switch over to the darkside and give snowboarding a try?
If you’ve got some extra gear lying around (that’s still in decent shape), it could be a great gift with little-to-no additional environmental impact.
Skip the Plastic Decorations
Turn your creativity on next time you’re out for a walk in the woods. Gather materials for decorations and wreaths — pine cones, berries, dried grasses, seedpods, twigs, branches and boughs. If you can make something festive with it, bring it home!
Seek Out Seed-Paper Cards
Mailing cards to far-away family members or friends? Look for seed paper options that can be planted after the holiday season. Hot tip — we recommend trying to find seed papers that contain plant species local to the area you’re mailing to, and/or pollinator-friendly plant species.
No Leftovers Left Behind
The holiday season tends to bring an abundance of food, and oftentimes it can’t be eaten all at once. The UN estimates 17% of food produced globally ends up in a landfill. That’s A LOT! So bring tupperwares to your dinner parties to help with all those leftovers.
Try Reusable Gift Bags
There’s nothing like tearing through wrapping paper on Christmas morning. But have you ever noticed how much paper waste it creates at the end of the day? And a lot of gift wrap has a plastic coating, making it difficult to properly recycle.
Reusable gift bags help curb these issues. You can spruce up bags you already have in the house, or if you (or someone close to you) is handy with a sewing needle, try creating fabric gift bags that can be used for years to come.
Beat the Holiday Traffic
We’ve all been there: endlessly circling the ski hill parking lot, desperately hoping to find that last parking spot. This year, whether you’re going to your local resort or your local pub, leave the car at home and look for public transit options. You’ll beat the holiday traffic, and you can even enjoy a few festive-libations.