With the holiday season on our doorstep, it’s important to prepare for any events you might attend or host. A little bit of planning will go a long way to making your holiday event environmentally friendly.
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Cooler weather gives us so much to look forward to. We see friends, attend parties, eat food, and generally enjoy the holiday season. An unfortunate side effect from all these events is that they can produce a lot of unnecessary waste. But with just a little bit of planning and mindfulness about being green, we can manage and minimize our environmental impact during these occasions.
If you use propane to heat the meat (and vegetables), dispose of your propane tank properly. An empty propane tank can’t be placed in your curbside recycling bin. If your tank is empty, exchange it for a new one wherever you buy propane. If you’ve damaged your propane tank and can’t exchange it, take it to your local household hazardous waste pick up. Read more about what to do with your old propane tank.
Some of you may prefer to use the more traditional methods of barbecuing with wood or charcoal. Remember that wood ash is safe enough to go into your compost pile or in your yard. However, since charcoal briquettes contain chemical additives, the ash from charcoal should be collected into a container and disposed of in a trash bin. Just make sure that the ash contains no embers before you throw it away.
When hosting a game watching party, avoid single-use disposable plates and cups. Instead, opt for traditional dinnerware. Think of it like this: Paper plates and cups are a 15-yard penalty, whereas using your regular dinnerware is a touchdown with a two-point conversion.
Encourage your guests to be as green as possible when traveling to the party. Urge them to carpool on their way to your house to cut down on vehicle emissions. And, as always, don’t forget to ask your guests to recycle all their bottles and cans. Make sure you have plenty of room in your recycling bin to contain everything.
Some diehard fans like to tailgate. Since tailgating involves being away from the comforts and conveniences of home, plan to separate your trash from recycling. Bring an extra receptacle for your glass bottles and aluminum cans. Just make sure your recycling bin will be big enough for your tailgate.
If you’re going to dress up in a costume, a little bit of planning can save you from buying needless items that will only get thrown away on November 1.
Search your home first for any garments or accessories you may already own before going out and buying more stuff. If after that you still need more pieces for your costume, try visiting a resale shop. You’ll not only save landfill space, but you’ll also likely save money.
It seems like nothing generates more fat than an oven-roasted turkey. While some of the leftover fat and grease may be used in the gravy, the overwhelming majority of it will go unused. It might seem easy and convenient to dump cup after cup of that greasy mess down the sink, but DO NOT pour it down the drain!
Instead find a resealable container large enough to hold it all. Pour the extra turkey grease into the container, seal it tightly, and throw that container into the garbage.
Read more about FOG and the dreaded fatbergs.
Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are traditionally celebrated by giving gifts. This year, instead of buying disposable wrapping paper, try using reusable gift wrap instead. It saves landfill space and can oftentimes be easier to use. A gift can slip into a reusable bag with no cutting and measuring; simply cinch the drawstring.
Another gift-wrapping idea is to reuse items you have around your house, like jars, cookie tins, newspaper, or even tote bags. Using a tote bag for gift wrapping is like giving two gifts at once. A reusable tote bag encourages the person to be green all year long! Find more ideas on sustainable gift wrapping.
For more ideas on how to make your holiday shopping experience more environmentally friendly, read our article Gift-Giving Gone Green.