Seasons Greenings: Tips
for a "Green" Holiday Season
With a 25% increase in waste generated during the holiday season,
the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (APCD)
urges individuals to reduce holiday waste, save money and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
You can protect natural resources and save money by conserving
energy, reusing and recycling holiday wrapping materials and
purchasing recycled and recyclable gifts. Each holiday season,
residential energy consumption increases while thousands of paper
and plastic shopping bags end up in landfills. Both activities
contribute to greenhouse gas emissions due to the increased energy
used to process waste and illuminate those merry light bulbs. Here
are a few tips to eliminate waste, cut energy bills and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions:
· Reduce the number
of bags you consume and throw away by bringing reusable
cloth bags for holiday gift shopping
· Use energy
efficient / LED lights and turn off or unplug holiday lights
during the day. Doing so will not only save energy, but will
also help your lights last longer.
· Plan your
shopping in advance. Consolidating your shopping trips saves
fuel and aggravation
· Buy rechargeable
batteries to accompany your electronic gifts and consider
giving a battery charger as well.
· Give gifts that
don't require much packaging, such as event tickets.
· Send electronic
greeting cards to reduce paper waste.
· Recycle your tree
instead of sending it to a landfill or buy a potted tree and
plant it after the holidays. Check with your community solid
waste department and find out if they collect and mulch
trees.
· Instead of
wrapping gifts for the kids, hide the presents, plant clues
to where they’re hidden and make the kids’ search into a
treasure hunt.
· Reduce "Food
Miles" and buy food products that come from within a 100
miles of your home
· When buying
gifts, check product labels to determine an item's
recyclability and whether it’s made from recycled materials.
Buying recycled encourages manufacturers to make more
recycled-content products available.
For more tips visit:
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/specials/funfacts/winter.htm
www.use-less-stuff.com/ULSDAY/42ways.html
APCD staff wishes you all a fun and
green holiday season!!
Mission