Sustainability Theme of the Month: Sustainable Holidays

Thursday, November 4, 2021
by Asser Sigmund Ang

Hello, Warriors! This month, as the holidays are around the corner, we shift our focus on sustainable holidays. Being sustainable doesn't mean we should take away the fun out of the holidays. It just means there are some things we need to be careful about so that our planet won't suffer from the weightÌýof impacts we produce.

What we mean by sustainable holidays

Sustainable essentials
When we talk about sustainable holidays, weÌýmean takingÌýa differentÌýapproach to celebrating the holidaysÌýwithoutÌýcausingÌýdrasticÌýconsequencesÌýforÌýthe environment.ÌýThe goal is essentially the same as what was signaled by our last blog post onÌýHalloween and Thanksgiving—that is, reducing waste, emissions, and energy.Ìý

There are many factors to consider when discussing sustainable holidays.ÌýOne main thing is waste.ÌýHousehold waste can increase more than 25% during the holidays, andÌýin Canada,Ìýdiscarded gift-wrapping and shopping bags account for nearly half-a-million of holiday waste that end up inÌýlandfillsÌý(Waste Week Reduction in Canada, n.d.).Ìý

EmissionsÌýproduced byÌýholiday travelÌýareÌýanother factor to consider.ÌýÌý

Ever heard ofÌýFlygskamÌý(a.k.a. flight shaming)?ÌýÌý

Well, it’s aÌýmovementÌýoriginated in SwedenÌýto respond to the growing concern of air travel contributing to climate change.ÌýItÌýtook offÌýwhen Greta Thunberg’sÌýmotherÌýcommitted to refuse travelling by airÌý(Coffey, 2020);Ìýsince then,Ìýthe country has seenÌýaÌý4%Ìýdrop in travelers flying by airÌýthrough its airportsÌý(BBC News, 2020).ÌýEvidently, this would notÌýbeÌýexpected to occurÌýsoonÌýinÌýrichÌýcountriesÌýlike CanadaÌýinÌýwhich its travelers produce more carbon emissions elsewhere than in their home countryÌý(McGrath, 2018).Ìý

WithÌýenergy, aÌýstudyÌýby theÌýUSÌýEnergy Department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA)Ìý(2008)ÌýfoundÌýthatÌýholiday lights use 6.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity every yearÌýin the United States.ÌýThese lightsÌýcan becomeÌýtoo bright that even the NASA people from outer space found thatÌýnight lights wereÌýup to 50% brighterÌýbetween Thanksgiving and New Year’s DayÌý(NASA, 2014),ÌýprovidingÌýa clearer picture of how much energy is usedÌýover the holidays.ÌýInterestingly, theseÌýlights wereÌýbrighterÌýfrom ruralÌýareasÌýwhich makes senseÌýas people from urban areas areÌývisiting back homeÌýfor the holidays.ÌýÌý

Why celebratingÌýsustainable holidaysÌýmattersÌý

People lighting punk sticks

For obvious reasons, celebrating the holiday sustainablyÌýis important because the planet has had enoughÌýof our carelessness.ÌýHolidays are celebratedÌýbyÌýbillions ofÌýpeople around the world, so the impacts add up enormously in a short amount of time.ÌýBut if everyoneÌýbecomesÌýmindful of their actions,Ìýit canÌýyieldÌýmassiveÌýcumulative effectÌýon our environment.Ìý

Having sustainable holidays not only benefits the environment, but alsoÌýourÌýcommunity, includingÌýsmallÌýbusinesses.ÌýIn Canada,Ìýas of 2019,Ìýsmall businesses represent 97.9%Ìýof all businesses, yetÌýthey seeÌýsustainability as aÌýmoreÌýimportantÌýaspect of businessÌýthanÌýlarge companies do.ÌýFor example, based on aÌýÀ¶Ý®ÊÓƵ studyÌýledÌýby Sarah BurchÌý(2018),Ìýit found thatÌý8 out of 10 small and medium enterprisesÌýsurveyedÌýin TorontoÌýand VancouverÌýconsider sustainability to be important.ÌýThus,ÌýsupportingÌýlocal and small businessesÌýwillÌýfeed theirÌýfinancial capacity to create programs and initiatives to be green, contributing positively to the overall well-being of the planet.Ìý

How we can celebrateÌýtheÌýholidaysÌýthe sustainable wayÌý

There are three areas where you can do your part as an individual, but we recommend following them altogether for bigger outcomes!Ìý

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  1. Use old materials (e.g.Ìýmagazines,Ìýnewspapers, posters,Ìýscarves,ÌýpiecesÌýof clothing, blankets, towels,Ìýetc.) for gift-wrapping or making DIY holiday cards.

  2. Avoid paper waste by sending e-cards instead ofÌýpaper cards.Ìý

  3. Make handmade paper out of recycled materials. Full tutorial can be foundÌýÌý

  4. Avoid buying plastic and metallic wrapping paper because they’re often not recyclable.

  5. Say no to things with glitters as they are a source of polluting microplastics.Ìý

  6. PlayÌýa little game like hiding unwrapped gifts and giving clues to receiver to where they can find them.Ìý

  7. Measure how much wrapÌýyou need to avoid wasteÌýand wrap more giftsÌý

  8. Make or use cardsÌýembedded with miniature sunflower seeds.Ìý

  9. GiftÌýbagsÌýareÌýanother sustainable alternative as theyÌýcan be reused for futureÌýoccasions.ÌýÌý

  10. Purchase gifts that last long and are reusable and recyclable.Ìý

  11. Reuse artificialÌýChristmasÌýtrees if you have them.ÌýÌý

  12. If you decide to buyÌýaÌýrealÌýtree, make sure they are bought locally and/orÌýcan be replanted (a potted tree might be a better option).ÌýContact your municipality about proper recycling or composting programs.Ìý

  13. Plan, plan, plan your menu! Use reusable utensils and plates instead of disposables.Ìý

Emissions

  1. BuyÌýlocally madeÌýproductsÌýfrom localÌýbusinesses.

  2. Consider how far your purchases travel to arriveÌýon yourÌýdoorstepÌýby avoiding online shopping as possible.Ìý

  3. Prepare plenty of plant-based, local, and in-seasonÌýoptionsÌýforÌýthe menu.Ìý

  4. AvoidÌýshort-haul flightsÌýifÌýyou canÌýand choose sustainable modes of travel like public transport, cycling, or walking.

  5. If you choose air travel, buy carbon credits to offset your emissions and help fund sustainable projects.Ìý

  6. Consider opting for non-stop flights. Planes use more fuel during take-off and landingÌý

Energy

  1. Use Energy-Star qualified LED lights as they are more efficient than traditional lights.Ìý

  2. Using solar-powered LED lights would be even better!Ìý

  3. Turn down the thermostat andÌýbundleÌýup!ÌýLet guests generate body heatÌýto warm up the room!Ìý

  4. Cook multiple items in the sameÌýovenÌýand run appliances on full loads. UseÌýtoasterÌýor microwave for smaller tasks (melting chocolate, reheating food, etc.) instead of the oven.

  5. Set the holiday mood and save energy by turning off light fixturesÌýor lights inÌýunoccupied rooms.Ìý

  6. Use a timer to control when your holiday lights should beÌýon orÌýoff.Ìý

  7. If you have a fireplace, light it.Ìý

Helpful Resources

  • Ìý

  • Explore theÌýSustuwaterlainability GuideÌýÌý

  • Check outÌýÌýor downloadÌýtheÌýShift:ZeroÌýappÌýonÌýÌýandÌýÌýfor on-campusÌýsorting guideÌý

  • Call, text, email, or visitÌýyour municipality toÌýfind outÌýwhen they’re doing Christmas tree collection. (In À¶Ý®ÊÓƵÌýRegion, it usually starts in early January).Ìý

References

BBC News. (2020). Sweden sees rare fall in air passengers, as flight-shaming takes off. Retrieved fromÌýhttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51067440.

Burch, S. (2018). GATEÌýSurvey Report. Retrieved fromÌý/environment/sites/ca.environment/files/uploads/documents/sme_study_final.pdf.

Coffey, H. (2020.)ÌýFlygskam: What is the flight-shaming environmental movement that’s sweepingÌýEurope?.ÌýRetrieved fromÌýhttps://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/flygskam-anti-flying-flight-shaming-sweden-greta-thornberg-environment-air-travel-train-brag-tagskryt-a8945196.html.

Department of Energy. (2008). Energy Savings Estimates of Light Emitting Diodes in Niche Lighting Applications. Retrieved fromÌýhttps://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/maprod/documents/Energy_Savings_Light_Emitting_Diodes_Niche_Lighting_Apps.pdf.

McGrath, M. (2018). Tourism’s carbon impact three times larger than estimated. RetrievedÌýfromÌýhttps://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44005013.

NASA. (2014).ÌýNASA | NASA sees holiday lightsÌýfromÌýspace.ÌýYouTube.ÌýRetrievedÌýfromÌýhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU0u0LRTNSk.Ìý

Waste Week Reduction in Canada. (n.d.). Waste-free holidays.Ìý RetrievedÌýfromÌýhttps://wrwcanada.com/en/resource-type/waste-free-holidays.