Christmas can be a wasteful and expensive holiday, but it doesn’t have to be. There are lots of ways to make your Christmas celebrations more affordable and environmentally friendly. Here are some suggestions and ideas. Read the rest of this entry

The down-turn in the economy may cause some families to think that Christmas won’t be as festive, or that it won’t have the glitz and excitement of Christmases of more prosperous times. But this is actually a perfect opportunity to explore and discover ways to celebrate Christmas that do not involve a lot of money and material items. Here are some ideas for celebrating Christmas in a more meaningful and less materialistic way. Read the rest of this entry

Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. Food, family and fun – it doesn’t get much better than that! Well, actually it can get better than that. You can have that same food, family and fun while also having a positive, or at least a neutral, effect on the environment. Here are five tips to have an eco-conscious Thanksgiving:

1. Buy organic turkey

   If Turkey is on your menu, and for many families it’s just not Thanksgiving without a turkey, then consider buying a free-range, organic turkey. These healthy birds are better for the environment because raising them doesn’t put harmful pesticides into the environment. And they don’t contain any added hormones or other items which can be bad for the environment and your health.

2. Buy whole foods

   This means you buy foods that aren’t prepared already and sitting in a box or package at the store. This is an environmentally-conscious way to celebrate because you’re not putting all the packaging into landfills.

   Additionally, processed foods are less healthy for you, contribute to emissions, and take tremendous energy to make. If you buy organic, whole foods then you’re also ensuring that no harmful chemicals were used to grow your food. If you buy locally grown foods then you’re also contributing to your local economy. And the food didn’t have to travel thousands of miles, and use natural resources, to get to your table.

3. Use your own dishes

   When serving a large group of people it’s tempting to use paper or disposable dishes. Even serving dishes are sometimes easier if they’re made from aluminum or plastic. However, this material goes right into landfills. Instead, use your own dishes and recruit everyone to help clean up.

4. Stay within 100 miles from home

   Many families travel great distances to be with family on this holiday. However, that mass travel is harmful on the environment, contributing to global emissions. If you can stay closer to home then you’re saving natural resources. One solution, if everyone is spread out, is to create a new tradition – perhaps get together with friends nearby or volunteer to help others on this special day.

5. Decorate naturally

   Autumn is a beautiful time of the year and nature provides some amazing decorations. Pine cones, leaves, dried flowers and vines make wonderful holiday decorations. Skip the paper and plastic ones and enjoy what nature provides.

Being eco-conscious on Thanksgiving is as easy as following the basic principle of reduce, reuse and recycle. Stay close to home, take advantage of your local resources and shop for whole, organic, and locally grown foods. Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s that time of year again – time to put up the Christmas tree. Whether you do it the day after Thanksgiving or on Christmas Eve, the decision over what kind of tree you are going to have still has to be made. Here are some of the pros and cons of artificial trees and real trees. Read the rest of this entry

Microfiber cloths are composed of extremely fine, densely-woven fibers, which makes them more absorbent and adhesive than ordinary cloths. Because they are reusable, and work without using detergents or cleaning chemicals, they are an eco-friendly way to clean. There are various kinds of microfiber cloths for different jobs. Here are some of the different types, what they are used for, and how they work. Read the rest of this entry