With the pressure of figuring out gifts for the family and the huge line ups at the mall (in the parking lot and the stores), I've realized that decorating seems like a walk in the park.
From my own personal experience I've found that a lot of waste can come from decorating, in terms of energy use from lighting and throwing away a lot of paper waste from gifts or cards. One thing that a lot of people don’t realize when they’re decorating for the season is that it’s not so hard to be environmentally conscious!
I've established some quick and easy sustainable ways that have helped me decorate for this time of year!
Reduce the amount of lighting for the holidays
This one is obvious for the eco-friendly. By reducing the amount of lights you use for the holidays, not only will you reduce your energy bill but you will also be reducing the light pollution in your neighbourhood.
Personally, having a simple light design is much more appealing and sustainable!
Use LED lighting
There are what feels like unlimited kinds of lighting fixtures and options to choose from when decorating this holiday season. Make sure that you choose LED lights for both your outdoor and indoor light. LED uses up to 90% less electricity than other light systems and they are still great for your budget!
Put a timer on your lighting systems
Keep in mind, not everyone is up at all hours of the night. You don’t need to keep your lights on all through the night during the holidays!
Purchasing a lighting timer is relatively cheap to purchase (about $20!!!!) and it helped me save on the electricity bill and eased my conscious about keeping the lights on at all hours of the night. Plus you can still use the timer all year round if you have lights in your gardens!
Make your own sustainable decorations by reusing old items
This might be more for indoor décor (considering Canadian winters), but making your own decorations for the holiday can be sustainable and a great holiday activity! By using my old holiday cards or recycled paper products I've been able to make numerous decorations for the season!
Remember to think green this holiday season!
Sustainably Yours,
Tami
