It’s that time of year when many of us will haul out our holiday decorations, purchase gifts, throw holiday parties and gather family and friends around for feasts that celebrate the harvest and bounty from the year’s activities.
Whether it’s in the form of gift-giving, sharing a festive meal, decorating or travel, there are many ways to celebrate the season that don’t create unnecessary waste.
Here are some suggestions for having a happy holiday season, while keeping your environmental footprint to a minimum. We’d like to thank the Green Team from the Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center for sparking these great ideas.
Decorations
There are many eco-friendly alternatives to holiday decorations and rituals. Consider these greener approaches:
Use LED holiday lights to save energy and increase safety (LED bulbs are cooler, thus reducing the risk of holiday tree fires).
Purchase or make your own all-natural beeswax candles.
Avoid using plastic o
