Having a Green Christmas!

Stephen Dent Planet Defender knows that you are probably in full Christmas swing (or Hanukah, etc.) this week, and that it can be easy to let green living slip to the back of your mind during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  But never fear, Stephen Dent is here to remind you of the easy ways to keep in green this Christmas, and into the New Year too.

Use your creative powers to reduce and re-use your gift packaging, and save a few trees and keep a few extra greenbacks in your wallet in the process.  Many people spend large amounts of money on attractive packaging, which means that you don’t have to!  Fancy gift bags can be re-used, even if the names of the giver and the recipient have been written on the tag.  Simply remove the tag and make a new one, using a small piece of wrapping paper or a scrap of tissue paper.

Speaking of tissue paper, make use of the paper wadding that comes in new shoes and purses.  It makes perfect stuffing for fragile gifts or adds extra fluff to too-empty gift bags.  Consider letting your children color or paint on the tissue paper for a unique and special look that will delight and impress your friends and family members.

If you bought a real Christmas tree, don’t just throw it into your garage or big trash pile.  Instead, work off a few of those christmas cookies by chopping your old tree into fire wood.  This will keep the tree out of the landfill, and a wood burning fire will reduce the need to run your electric or gas heater, keeping your utilities bill low while you recover financially from all the Christmas shopping you have done this year.  It is amazing how saving the planet almost always helps you save money too!

If you are looking to do a little last minute holiday decorating, check out thrift stores and second hand stores for affordable, used decorations.  Why spend more on new decorations when you can save money and reduce wasteful production by buying used products?  And when christmas is over, store the decorations you have purchased to use again next year.  There is no reason to spend money on new decorations every year!

As always, DON’T forget to turn your sprinklers off when it rains, and if you live in a snowy climate, please please change your sprinkler settings to not turn on during the winter.  Not only is this extremely wasteful, running your sprinklers during the snowy season can ruin them, costing you large amounts of money in repair costs.  Water conservation is the most important duty that all Planet Defenders have, and every small water conservation decision results in large results.  We can make a difference, and we will not be stopped by a capitalist holiday.  Carry on into the new year Planet Defenders!