"Holiday Shopping" is going to seem like an unsuitable title for this post, but as I began to contemplate the approaching holiday shopping madness I felt uncomfortable with (yet again) the wanton materialism and waste we will produce along with our Christmas spirit. In the NPR running series called "More Consumed: Is The Consumer Economy Sustainable?" there's an article called "
15 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint" by Millie Jefferson. The article is not geared towards the holiday season, but I think it's fair to say that some of our holiday behavior needs to be reexamined in light of these points.
This can be our Christmas gift to our planet.
1.
Buy organic and local. When possible, buy organic or "fair trade." There's a better chance the food was grown in an eco-friendly way, and if it's locally grown, it didn't have to travel that far. This also goes for those double lattes — coffee often has a large carbon footprint because of the distance those beans had to travel to get here, and how they were produced. Also, try eating at restaurants that serve locally produced or seasonal foods.
2.
Pay attention to packaging. When out shopping, try to go to stores or co-ops that keep packaging to a minimum. For example, you may choose to buy the loose tomatoes rather than boxed or plastic-wrapped tomatoes. Also, take reusable bags to the grocery store. When it comes to resources, plastic is better than paper — but a reusable cloth tote-style bag is better still.
3.
Ditch bottled water. Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint — it's bottled at one location in small plastic bottles and shipped all over. Try buying a reusable water bottle or canteen for your water. Also, a lot of restaurants have made the move from offering fancy bottled water, usually imported from an exotic source, to using in-house filtration systems that make tap water a good choice. Many plastic water bottles are recycled, but most are not, making the footprint even bigger.
4.
Energy-proof your home. We're not talking major upgrades here... Make sure all of your windows close properly and the attic in your home is properly insulated. This can save you big bucks on your energy bill. Also, keep your heating and cooling systems properly maintained, and switch to reusable filters when possible. Switch from incandescent to compact florescent light bulbs. Compact florescent light bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than our normal light bulbs and last much longer. Compared to regular bulbs, the fluorescents are more expensive, but they will eventually pay for themselves due to lower energy costs.
5.
Go native. Use native plant species to landscape around your home or business. The plants will grow better in a familiar environment, and the plants may also get shipped a shorter distance to get to your local nursery. Also, use organic soil when planting — it's made using more eco-friendly methods, and uses less resources. And remember, green plants are a good way to offset carbon. So plant something, anything — it helps.
6.
Window shop. If you have the urge to spend, try window shopping or browsing first. This helps ensure you are only buying things you really need, or really want, and you're not just impulse buying. Remember, every item in a store, no matter how small, has a footprint — so if we are conscious consumers, we can reduce our own footprint and the overall footprint of our nation.
7.
Take a direct flight. If you need to travel by airplane, try taking a direct flight when at all possible. Your impact is reduced when you take one flight, as opposed to hopping on a couple or more passenger jets to reach your final destination. You might also feel a little less harried when you arrive, because changing planes can be a real hassle.
8.
Switch water heaters to vacation mode. Most water heaters have a "vacation" setting for when you are away from home for an extended period of time. Switching to that "away" mode still keeps the water warm, but will not use the energy it takes to keep a tank full of piping-hot water. Enjoy your vacation even more, knowing that you're saving money and reducing your footprint.
9.
Unplug it! Unplug appliances that you don't use frequently. Most electronics have a standby mode that siphons energy even when not in use. Cell phone chargers, laptops, televisions, stereos — there's a whole list of items that should be unplugged when not in use. Try using a power strip for groups of electronic items. One flick of the switch and it's all off.
10.
Keep your car. With gas prices seemingly always on the rise, it's tempting to buy a hybrid or electric vehicle. But if your older-model car is in good condition, you're better off keeping it in good running condition. Even hybrids create a big footprint when they're built, so consider driving that old clunker for a little while longer. Also, try more eco-friendly modes of transport when possible, like buses, trains, a bicycle, telecommuting or even walking.
11.
Chuck your microwave. Admittedly, this is a bit drastic. But this speaks more to those convenient frozen dinners some rely on because of their busy schedules. A freezer full of meals is actually more energy-intensive — it costs more to freeze foods, ship them cold, display them frozen in the grocery store and keep them frozen in our homes. So while the modern convenience of the microwave and the Lean Cuisine is enticing, it's much more resource-intensive. Cook fresh food when you can, and you'll also find yourself eating out less often.
12.
Use cold water. No, not in the shower... but maybe in the washer. Try using cold water to launder things that don't need to be cleaned in hot or warm water. It takes a lot of energy to heat up water — multiply that by the number of loads, and that's a big footprint. Most major detergent makers sell detergents designed to have the same cleaning power as with regular soap. Try washing mixed loads in cold water, too.
13.
Have the family over. Family gatherings are a good way to spend some quality time with loved ones, with very little carbon impact. Cooking and entertaining for larger groups is more efficient and, per person, a lot less expensive. And who can put a price on these "carbon freebies"?
14.
Make time for errands. A lot of us try to run errands in-between work and other commitments. Try bundling errands together to reduce how far you need to travel. Going back-and-forth to the same part of town on different days to run errands uses more gas than if you planned and did everything in the same area all at once. And if you really want to make it a "carbon freebie," try carpooling and running errands with a buddy.
15.
The Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It seems like something from a kid's sing-a-long, but sometimes we lose sight of just how much we buy. Try buying less, and reusing and fixing things when you can instead of buying new. And for a lot of people, recycling is as easy as rolling the trash bin to the curb. Just remember to do it at work, too.
I didn't buy any gift wrap this year from the fundraisers at work because I still have so much from previous years. Once I run out of it I don't plan to buy more. We will recycle our Christmas tree and anything else that results from our festivities. I will not buy any more Christmas cards. I receive many cards through the mail from organizations to which we donate money and I plan to use those up even if they don't have a Christmas theme. I don't plan to send any one a card I will see in person; wishing someone a Merry Christmas in person is carbon footprint free. I will minimize gift giving (sorry guys) especially useless "things" that are surrounded by lots of wasteful packaging. Gifts can still be gifts even if they are a much needed item. Christmas lights will be on for just a couple of hours after sunset, no more.
I hope to see more ways to reduce waste as I go. Around the corner from Christmas is the New Year, a good time to
resolve to do even more earth-saving measures.
Well, yesterday's weather forecast was correct - we broke the temp record (set in 1975 at 75) by hitting 79. The forecast for today and tomorrow is 80. Knowing what the Midwest is waking up to this morning makes this all so much more striking. It's not that there isn't a difference between our climates, but for them to be so blatantly exhibited on the same day! We're only a few hundred miles away and yet it's like two different worlds .
Not so big, but so perfectly even and fresh and cute.
Like a dog, happy to be in the truck for a ride to her new home.
Preparing his fur trimming shears.
Giving her a nice trim.
Cutting her toenails.
Nice bucket of fresh clean water till she can come in the house.
Saving the clippings for nice smelling decorations in the house.
Getting the rope to keep her from running away from home.
The evolution will continue in another era.... like this weekend.
I didn't buy any gift wrap this year from the fundraisers at work because I still have so much from previous years. Once I run out of it I don't plan to buy more. We will recycle our Christmas tree and anything else that results from our festivities. I will not buy any more Christmas cards. I receive many cards through the mail from organizations to which we donate money and I plan to use those up even if they don't have a Christmas theme. I don't plan to send any one a card I will see in person; wishing someone a Merry Christmas in person is carbon footprint free. I will minimize gift giving (sorry guys) especially useless "things" that are surrounded by lots of wasteful packaging. Gifts can still be gifts even if they are a much needed item. Christmas lights will be on for just a couple of hours after sunset, no more. 
I think Masih will at be emailing us the pictures he took with their camera. If the pics are any different I'll post them too. I'm so glad they came - it was great fun!