According to Sean Stepchuk, director and co-founder of Waste Free Edmonton, our waste increases by 25 per cent every Christmas season — and it’s ramped up in recent years with the advent of online shopping. But he says being ecologically conscious during the holidays is a win all around — it means less money spent, less waste, and more meaningful gift giving.
“We’re not saying that people need to stop giving presents,” says Stepchuk. “It’s just important that we take the time to really think if what we’re buying would be appreciated or useful,” he says. “And when you’re considering the financial cost, consider the environmental cost as well.”
Shopping online is easier than ever, which can result in impulse buys that often end in fewer thoughtful purchases. And then when the item arrives, the Styrofoam and bubble-wrap packaging can be more excessive than what you find if you went shopping in-person.
Tearing into a wrapped present might bring a few seconds of excitement, but the legacy and glitter — aka micro plastic — it leaves in its wake is incredibly environmentally harmful.
“Generally, if it’s shiny, and glittery, it’s not recyclable,” says Stepchuk.
There are recycled and more eco-friendly wrapping papers out there like those found at Carbon Environmental Boutique from Wrappily Eco Gift Wrap Co. made from recycled newspapers. If you’re going for this type of wrapping paper, ideally you’d also be reusing it many times. It also carries many items to make your gifts look festive, including fully compostable and biodegradable ribbon bows made from natural cotton rather than plastic that can be reused many times.
You can also just reuse any kind of paper for wrapping, or opt to reuse paper bags from the grocery store and even make them more personal by getting your kids to draw or paint on them. And as much as possible, you should avoid the glitter — the environment and your floor will thank you. Even glitter that says it is compostable or environmentally friendly often still contains plastic.
Besides, while wrapping is fun and festive, it’s what’s inside that really counts.
Secondhand items can be particularly eco-friendly and cost-effective as gifts. Kids get easily bored of toys and grow out of items quickly so the digital marketplaces on Kijiji or Facebook are just overflowing with options, says Stepchuk.
Thrifting is great for adults, too. “If someone gives me something secondhand, I value that, because I know they had to spend the time looking for that thing and they thought of it. It was not just: Oh, I came across this thing on my screen and pushed a couple buttons,” says Stepchuk. Swish Vintage on 124th street has unique vintage finds from the 30s to the 80s; if you know someone who loves antiques, the Junque Cellar on Whyte Ave might have the perfect gift; and Blogger Armoire offers luxury consignment items for the fashionista in the family.
Meanwhile, non-physical presents like gifts of time or experiences and gift cards for things to do together are Stepchuk’s favourites. Stepchuk says there are lots of creative things people can do: hand-make presents, donate to a charity on someone’s behalf, or give the gift of babysitting at a later date.
You could even give a coupon of a night spent together watching the Netflix documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy to get you in the mood for cutting your consumption year-round.
“These are things people will remember for years and years that are really a lot more meaningful,” says Stepchuk. “If a person really likes escape rooms and games, well, then you can take them to one. It’s something you need to tailor to the person and does not have all the waste associated with it.”
Everyone wants to deck the halls for the season. And the stores seem to come out with tempting snowmen lawn ornaments and plastic garlands for the mantel earlier and earlier every year, drawing out those temptations even further.
Even Stepchuk admits he loves to decorate, and it brings joy.
“One of the biggest things is just to resist the urge to buy a bunch of cheaper, fall-apart, poorly made decorations we sometimes see and get something timeless that you’ll put up and enjoy year after year,” he says.
When it comes to Christmas lights, most are LED now, which is better for energy-efficiency. But you should still be conscious of the length of time you have them on.
“Be conscious of when you put them on and use a timer so they’re not on when no one’s seeing them. And again, treat them with care so you don’t have to replace them every few years,” says Stepchuk.
Both artificial and real trees leave a mark. But if you go for a live tree, you can actually rent a living one just for the season from Farlinger Farms. The tree will infuse your home with the scent of a living tree, and after the season’s over, it continues to thrive until next year.
If you do go for a traditional cut tree, you can donate it to an organization such as WILDNorth, a wildlife rehabilitation facility that uses the trees to enhance the enclosures of recovering animals, including owls.
If you’re planning on using an artificial tree, Stepchuk just says to treat it with care, store it properly and use it for as many years as you can. “If you’re planning on getting a new tree every five years, that’s incredibly wasteful. If you’re planning on using the same one that your family had when you were a kid and you use it for 30 years, that’s obviously much better.”
