With the holidays coming up, shopping, decorating, and other festivities are in full swing. But as adults and teens are busy buying and wrapping gifts to perfection, one million tons of additional waste are generated each week nationwide, according to a study by Ohio State University.
There are some environmentally friendly steps that can be taken to help the planet when a chill is in the air.
Roosevelt students invested in fostering a healthy environment and combating consumerism have hosted community cleanups, food drives, and fundraisers to help lower their carbon footprint and maintain environmental sustainability. Amongst other climate-focused groups at Roosevelt, the Green Team and the U-Thrift Club have taken to addressing the issue of sustainability year-round, not just during the holidays.
“It’s important to be a responsible consumer because the earth has a limited amount of resources. And if we overuse those resources, it’s a big issue,” says senior and Green Team President Fiona Willmer. During the holidays, the use of these resources skyrocket, which has a lasting impact on the world.
According to Time Magazine, “In five to 10 years, vast swaths of the planet will be increasingly inhospitable to humans.” These issues are not going away and will continue to get worse unless people work to stop them.
According to a study conducted at Stanford University, “Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than any other time of year.” These results indicate the importance of remaining aware of personal consumption during the holidays.
The same study found that, “If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.” There is a range of reusable materials to repurpose as wrapping paper.
Willmer says, “There’s a lot of little things, like using newspaper to wrap, or other recycled materials to wrap presents, like reusable bags.” The impact of simply changing the material that gifts are wrapped in is immense.
Due to the convenience of fast shipping, consumerism has continued to flourish. Amazon’s fast shipping, for example, appeals to customers, but can produce massive amounts of waste.
According to Forbes Magazine, “Amazon generated almost 500 million pounds of plastic packaging last year, more than 22 million pounds of which ended up in rivers and oceans.”
The conveniences of the consumer industry guides many people throughout the holiday season, and they forget about the consequences of their actions. The new wrapping paper displayed in stores intrigues shoppers and causes them to forget about the leftover paper from years past.
People also turn to fast fashion when shopping for gifts, due to the industry’s convenience. President of the U-Thrift Club, Amelia Roller, says, “Fast fashion is a big issue that makes climate change happen because of waste and unsustainability.” Sustainable shopping has less of a negative impact on the environment, and helps shoppers lower their carbon footprint.
Over the holiday season, parties and dressy gatherings often encourage people to purchase flashy outfits that they will likely only wear once. As the lifetime of these clothes is fleeting, they turn to fast-fashion. “A lot of shipping happens, which is bad for the environment,” Roller says. By purchasing and throwing away clothes, the waste production increases.
Roller says, “I think the biggest thing is just limit your consumption. Because I think a lot of people over the holidays buy an insane amount of stuff, and you really need to take a step back and think, ‘is this something that I really need?’” Being mindful about consumption is a great first step to lowering the carbon footprint.
According to a poll conducted by The Federal Paper and Packaging Board, “Nearly 66% of Americans report feeling guilty about the extra waste during the holiday season.” Though it may seem like this issue is too big to tackle, there are many ways that individuals can lower their waste production during the holiday season.
“Creating something for someone as a gift is also a really good option. And oftentimes that’s more thoughtful and appreciated than anything that you could buy,” Roller advises. By taking the initiative to be mindful during the holiday season, consumption can be lowered with minimal effort.
Throughout my life, I have turned to homemade gifts for the holidays. From making clay ornaments to peppermint bark, they are always amazing options. Homemade gifts are valued and loved by friends and family more than a bought gift could ever be, because instead of picking out something that anyone might want, you are taking the time to create something for the person. By making gifts at home, you are helping the environment in so many ways.
Another easy way to be mindful of the environment this holiday season is to thrift gifts. The U-Thrift club encourages people to try and shop sustainably this holiday season. Roller advises, “Try to thrift as much as you can. There’s a really nice Goodwill on Capitol Hill, and there’s one on the Ave,” referring to the stretch of thrift stores and restaurants on University Avenue. These options provide inexpensive options and great gifts for family and friends.
Thrifting with friends is a fun activity on a dark day, so this holiday season I will be turning to more sustainable options like thrifting for gifts. Buying things that aren’t brand new is often just as good as buying new, and the environmental impact is significantly less. By making these small changes throughout the holidays, large benefits can be seen.
As the holiday season comes closer, look out for U-Thrift’s upcoming winter clothing swap to find amazing gifts for friends and family. Additionally, stay tuned for holiday themed DIYs from The Green Team. This time of year can be a lot of fun, and by taking small steps to help the environment, the climate can enjoy the holidays too.
