Eco-Friendly Gift Giving
Consider these tips before buying brand-new items this year:
- Buy experiences and courses. Instead of buying material gifts, think about giving experiences, courses, skill-building, and community-building opportunities. These can include cooking courses, tickets to a sports game, concerts, or anything else. Not only are they a great way to be sustainable, but research shows that experiences make us happier than material things.
- Support small businesses! Instead of buying (and supporting unsustainable shipping practices) from large companies and distributors like Amazon, try to buy from small businesses. Marketplaces like Etsy are great places to find creative, unique, and sustainably-produced gifts.
- Shop locally. Packing, shipping, and transporting gifts require large amounts of materials and energy. By shopping locally, you can support small businesses in addition to eliminating the environmentally harmful aspects that come with shopping online.
- Regift & repurpose. Instead of buying brand-new items, think about how you can create unique gifts from things you might already own. Regifting items that you have previously received and never used gives them a new life and opportunity to be used.
- Handmade > store-bought! Making your gifts for friends and family is a sustainable and fun way to spend some time this year. Handmade items are unique and can often be more meaningful to receive. Some ideas are baked goods, trinket dishes, and jewelry.
- Avoid excessive wrapping/packaging. Wrapping paper and gift bags can create a lot of unnecessary waste during the holidays. Instead, wrap gifts in old newspapers or use old gift bags and shoeboxes to package gifts.
- Think before you buy. Before asking for items this holiday season, think about whether you will use them. Clothing in particular is something that many give and receive during the holidays, but fashion is the second largest environmentally harmful industry in the world every year.
Reducing Organic Waste
All the cheer, none of the waste! To reduce your impact on the planet this holiday season make these mindful actions part of your tradition:
- Try not to over-prepare food; instead, try to prepare “just enough"
- Encourage friends and family to take leftovers home
- Store leftovers in the freezer to enjoy after you’ve had a break from them for a little while
- Search “holiday leftover recipes” online for new ideas
- If you have any food waste be sure to properly separate it into your curbside green bin
Don't Trash Your Christmas Trees!
Christmas trees should not end up in the landfill. Mill Valley Refuse Service will collect them and make sure they are composted.
- Please put your trees out on the curb on any regular green Compost Cart day, beginning Tuesday, January 2, 2024. We will not pick up trees left by garbage cans.
- Remove all ornaments, decorations, and tinsel
- All stands must be removed
- Trees should be cut in half with each section being no longer than 5ft for easier handling
- Plastic trees cannot be recycled; they must go in the trash
- Flocked trees are not accepted for composting in the green cart and must go in the trash
If you need to drop off your tree for recycling, Zero Waste Marin has put together a list of Christmas tree drop-off locations in Marin.
Planet Friendly Resolutions
With the year coming to a close, this is the perfect time to celebrate your achievements big and small — and also to reflect on the energy and intention that you'd like to bring into the new year. Here are some sustainable New Year resolutions to guide you into 2024:
- Use less plastic. Reducing your plastic footprint is a worthwhile resolution, and seemingly small actions can add up to a huge impact over time.
- Eat less meat. Industrial agriculture is a top cause of deforestation around the world and has a hefty carbon footprint
- Walk more. This year, try to walk more and drive less. It's a great way to get some light exercise and get a different perspective on your daily route.
- Support local businesses. Small businesses help power local economies and, by extension, the local governments that depend on the tax dollars they generate.
- Reduce your electricity use. Phantom energy can add an estimated 10% to your monthly electric bill + dramatically increase your carbon footprint over time.
- Shop organic whenever possible. Organic farmers use fewer resources, have less resource-intensive practices, protect bees, don’t pollute the air + groundwater, and promote local biodiversity.
- Minimize waste in one area of your home. If going completely zero-waste feels overwhelming, try to focus on one part of your home, like the kitchen or bathroom.
- Read green. Check out this list of 24 Best Books About Nature and Trees