Growers and Grocers

In the December issue of Shape magazine, Kim Carlson, host of Livin’ the Green Life on Voice America radio shared some simple ways that you can enjoy an eco-friendly holiday without sacrificing style.

“The holidays are marked by a heightened period of consumption, which produces more waste than usual,” says Carlson.  “But you can participate in the festivities and still be green; just make more earth-friendly choices.”  Her ideas:

Reset your table.  “Cloth napkins eliminate paper waste and can be reused for years.”

Give the gift of experience.  “Tickets to a game will be appreciated more than another coffeemaker.”  Not only does this reduce garbage, but it creates a memory.

Read the labels.  Whenever possible, buy gifts made from natural materials rather than plastics, which contain petroleum.

Pack it up right.  Ditch the paper, and wrap with reusable materials.  (Slip a gift into a scarf and tie it with a ribbon.)

Photo from Morgue File.