Have an eco-friendly Xmas
Boycott plastic baubles, tacky tinsel and flashing figurines in favour of a tree where all that glistens is green |
Seeing the light
What would Christmas be without the twinkle-twinkle of neon lights? No need to work up a sumo sweat over those old tangled strings though. Choose bright new LED bulbs instead. Available everywhere from Costco to Canadian Tire, LED lights use 90 per cent less energy, should last up to ten years and don’t present the fire risk of traditional bulbs. |
Food for thought
A tree festooned in tinsel may look festive but it doesn’t do the planet any favours.
Not only is it made from fossil fuels, the tree can’t be recycled if its branches are covered in tinsel or artificial snow. Edible treats such as garlands of popcorn and cranberries are a tasty alternative. Or why not bake some biscuits, cover them with icing and hang them from branches with raffia or ribbon? Foodtv.ca/recipes |
Shop smart
Before splurging on more landfill-destined synthetic tat, think about ornaments made from natural or recycled materials. Eco-Artware, an online store founded in 1999, sells inventive decorations made from recycled glass, silk, aluminum and even used painted tea bags. Also, Ten Thousand Villages features fair-trade decorations like a hummingbird from a renewable rainforest crop in Ecuador. |
Reuse, recycle, restore
Okay, so grandma’s dusty old baubles have lost their luster, but there’s no need to banish them to the bin just yet. Give them a polish and a sprinkle of fresh glitter, and voilà, they’re as good as new.
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 Get crafty
You don’t need Martha Stewart around to hang bundles of cinnamon sticks on a tree. In fact, most of us can muddle through making a decoration or two. You can find plenty of instructions on how to create eco-friendly decorations online. For some simple, homespun ideas take a peek at www.familyfun.go.com.
It’s also an idea to prune some of your evergreen plants (holly, let’s say) and use them as festive decorations. Once you've finished with them, you can pop them in the composter. But don’t restrict yourself to pine cones and poinsettias. Non-conventional decorations, like vintage fabric sachets stuffed with lavender, work just as well.
- Athena Tsavliris
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