‘Tis the season for gifts, lights, trees, and zero waste dinners.
Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, the Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC) has ideas to turn your celebration green and make both Santa Clause and Mother Nature happy.
“This year, we’re asking British Columbians to rethink how they celebrate, and explore new, greener traditions,” said Brock Macdonald, RCBC’s chief executive officer. “You can still celebrate in style over the holidays, but it takes a little planning, so start early.”
Macdonald’s suggestions include opting for a potted Christmas tree over an artificial one and switching to LED light strings which use 90 per cent less energy than incandescent ones. Giving experiences instead of things is a great way to reduce holiday waste, while choosing paper giftwrap that’s 100 per cent recyclable can reduce the cellophane and metallic foil wrappings that end up in landfills.
To avoid unnecessary plastic waste this holiday season, decorate by bringing nature inside. Cedar branches, acorns, and potted plants can breathe colour and life into any room. They can also be composted at the end of their use, so nothing has to go to waste.
“Canadians already understand the importance of a healthy environment, but sometimes we forget that everyday actions can lead to meaningful impact,” said Macdonald. “Small changes add up to big results. If everyone in Canada wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or reusable gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks”
This holiday season, RCBC wants to inspire British Columbians to reduce waste in their own creative and successful ways. For green inspiration, follow the RCBC #GreenAdvent campaign on Twitter (@recyclingbc) to receive a holiday waste reduction tip every day until Christmas.
Visit the RCBC website to view and download resources on all things waste reduction at http://www.rcbc.ca/holiday-info.