Green Newton

It’s easy to make your holidays a little greener—for the health of our planet. We all have the power to make small choices that, together, can add up to big impact that does our planet good.

Here’s 7 simple steps from the Nature Conservancy that you can take today!

1. More Fun, Less Stuff.

Think about giving people on your list experiences like concert tickets or restaurant gift cards or even donating to a cause you love!

2. Reuse Your Wrap.

Reuse alternatives to traditional wrapping paper like magazine pages, old maps or calendar pages and help reduce the estimated 4 million tons of waste from wrapping paper and shopping bags during the holidays.

3. Opt For A Real Tree.

Most plastic trees aren’t biodegradable or easily recyclable, so choose a real tree if you can. Tree farms give back to the planet by providing wildlife habitat, keeping soil healthy, and absorbing carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen for cleaner air. If a real tree isn’t an option for you, choose a plastic tree that you’ll be able to use for 10+ years — that’s the amount of time it’ll take to even out the carbon footprint impact created.

4. Keep It Local.

The farther you transport a tree or greenery, the more likely a new invasive pest could be along for the ride. Choose locally sourced holiday plants to avoid introducing new pests to your neighborhood.

5. Showcase Simple Beauty.

Instead of store-bought décor, use simple natural touches like extra branches from your tree, a bowl of pine cones or local plants to bring nature’s calming influence inside.

6. Invite More Veggies to Holiday Meals.

Incorporate more plant-based foods into your meal traditions—it’s good for your health and good for lowering your carbon footprint.

7. Cut Food Waste.

Even if mom taught you to make 5 pounds of sweet potatoes per person, control how much food you buy and don’t let it go bad. Every year 30% – 50% of food produced gets wasted, along with the water, energy and labor it takes to make it.