| Busy making your list? Checking it twice? Do you see | | | | batteries, buy rechargeable ones! And consider giving |
| climate change action on it? | | | | a battery recharger with your batteries or as a |
| T'is the season to be very busy as a parent, and | | | | separate gift! For the "Jet Setter" who has |
| "bigger issues" like climate change may seem too | | | | everything, consider giving them a "carbon offset" to |
| overwhelming to think about during the holidays. In | | | | "offset" their travel and all the carbon emissions they |
| fact, the holidays can turn out to be a wonderful | | | | are producing. Use reputable sites like Native Energy |
| time to remind people you care about, that caring for | | | | and Terrapass, to ensure your carbon credits are |
| the environment is high on your priority list! There are | | | | actually attached to useful projects and then are |
| many ways you can get your list completed and still | | | | "retired" after they have been used. |
| find ways to lower your carbon footprint, as well as | | | | 5. Presents of Time. Have a family "meeting" and |
| the footprints of some of those around you. | | | | consider making one gift to a loved one, a gift of |
| 1. Holiday cards. If you are one of those "last minute | | | | "time", or something equally valuable and tangible, but |
| people" this may still not have a "check mark" beside | | | | not actually a physical object. The options are endless |
| it. Think about using an online service. Or, if you like | | | | once you get going: a special lunch, breakfast in bed, |
| to have something to send via the mail, look at the | | | | sleep over at the grandparents, uncles or aunts, "I do |
| holiday card selections when you do an "online | | | | your chores day", a car wash certificate...and the list |
| search" remember to put "recycled paper" in your | | | | goes on and on. |
| search, there are many options. You may even want | | | | 6. On-line gift ordering. Save time, and energy (yours |
| to consider "something different or a little out of the | | | | and the gasoline to power your car) avoid driving to |
| box." The National Wildlife Federation is one of | | | | the "mall" and fighting the crowds. There are so |
| several organizations offering "zero waste cards" this | | | | many great online gift sites where you an purchase |
| year. These photo cards come with a two-way | | | | presents. In most cases they will even ship the |
| envelope that provides return postage to Shaw | | | | presents to far-flung friends and relatives, and |
| Industries, where the cards will be recycled "back" | | | | "guarantee delivery by the holidays! Not only are you, |
| into carpet backing. | | | | NOT burning all that extra gasoline getting places, or |
| 2. Decorations. What about recycling last year's | | | | "not getting places" as the case may be, but you are |
| decorations, or making "new" ones with your kids or | | | | freeing up valuable time to do all those other holiday |
| grandkids from memorable things around the house. | | | | preparations you "don't have time to do! |
| It's a wonderful tradition, year after year, to take | | | | 7. Cancel Catalogs. You know all those catalogs |
| out the old ornaments and retell the stories behind | | | | collecting in your mailbox (and now on the floor |
| them! This year the White House also got into the | | | | waiting to go out with the recycling?) Do something |
| "act" as the theme for the White House decorations | | | | about them! If you enjoy reading them fine; read and |
| was "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew." For the "renew" part, | | | | recycle. But if you didn't ask for them and don't ever |
| over 600 ornaments from previous administrations | | | | look at them, take a few minutes after the holidays |
| were sent to organizations around the country to be | | | | are over, and permanently cancel them. One place |
| "refurbished" and then were reused on this year's | | | | that will help you do this, for all your catalogs is |
| official "Tree." The White House Tree was also lit | | | | CatalogChoice.org. They will take care of canceling |
| with special LED lights. Natural materials, and materials | | | | the catalogs for you; you just need to tell them |
| from "nature" including dried "roots" from Mrs. | | | | which ones! |
| Obama's vegetable garden, were used to make | | | | 8. Charitable Donation/Organization Membership. Make |
| wreaths and decorate other trees throughout the | | | | a donation to a cause for a family member, a special |
| White House. | | | | gift to help them help the world. Or, consider giving |
| 3. Lights and Action. If you like to "light up" your | | | | them a membership to an organization that supports |
| house, look at energy star options or LED lights, | | | | nature. This can be an opportunity to introduce them |
| which use much less electricity than traditional lights. | | | | to climate change education or research |
| Monitor the number of hours the lights are on, don't | | | | organizations, or maybe a local Zoo or Museum |
| leave them on all night long. Remember to recycle | | | | membership. Pick your favorite, or pick an |
| the old ones. If you can't find a local spot to do this, | | | | organization that you know they feel strongly about. |
| get together with friends and send back your old | | | | (Pick the Zoo, Science Center or Planetarium |
| lights to If candles are a part of your lighting tradition, | | | | membership for the under 12 set; the research |
| use beeswax or soy oil candles. Remember most | | | | organizations don't always go over too big with |
| candles are made from paraffin, a hydrocarbon | | | | them!) |
| compound that contributes to the build up of | | | | During this holiday season do something good for the |
| greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. | | | | environment, while spreading some cheer and |
| 4. Practical Presents. If a gift you are giving needs | | | | checking your list at the same time! |