By the cash register in most big box stores, there are lots of cute labels for all of your Christmas gifts.  Their colorful variations on “To” and “From” scream “Buy me!  You need me to make your gift look special!”  But before you buy, think to yourself… what do I already have at home?

Every year we save our Christmas cards and store them with the holiday decorations.  I’m not ready to throw them out right away because I enjoy getting them so much and most hold pictures of dear friends and family. 

Christmas cards, as a side note, are something I struggle with.  Most are not recyclable and the amount of paper and transportation energy used to carry on this tradition are staggering.  And yet, I really enjoy receiving them.  Our family has sent a Christmas email for the last two years.   I put more time and energy into the email than I ever did on my cards, carefully constructing a full letter, a collage of pictures showing our year, and even a link to my kids on video.  It is something I would enjoy receiving from friends, especially those whom I don’t see as often as I would wish.  And yet this act has inspired friends and family to be apologetic for sending us a card… as though by our choice, we are signaling a guilt trip over their choice to send a card!  Oh no!  I would love comments on how to overcome this.

When I get out the cards the following year I can enjoy them all over again before I cut them up.  Yes, I said cut them up!  I reuse them as that year’s gift labels.  Each card is colorful and has a holiday salutation that I make into a label and hole punch for attaching to our Fabricwrappers.  They look fabulous and much more personal than the store bought kind.  If you see your family’s card being “reused” in the attached picture, thanks for the card and the label!

I walked into a small store in Costa Rica to buy a coke.  It came in a banged up glass bottle, and when I paid for it I had to drink it on the spot or leave a deposit on the bottle.  This is a nation that values its resources. 

Whether you are a seasoned recycler who wants to influence your neighbors or a rookie who has been making excuses for years, it is time to get serious about our consumption and recycling of resources.   “America Recycles Day” was formed in 1997 and even has it’s own website with a good links page for how to find recycling centers in your area.

Reusing items  or finding plastic-free alternatives should be our first thought, but if it can not find another use, then try to recycle it.

Throwing plastic, glass and newspaper in the bin is usually convenient, but what about other items?  I get confused about what can be recycled or even what is dangerous to throw away (what to do with all those batteries?!). 

  Recycling Revolution has some great stats:

Pass the message on… let’s all get serious about protecting our limited resources!

Cloth napkins are functional and look great!

Simple Tips… Please add more in the comments section!

(1) Use cloth napkins. Not just for holiday dinners anymore! These are so easy to pick up at estate sales, but if you have to buy new there are cheap options at every big box store. Once you get in the habit, you will feel funny about ever using a paper napkin or paper towel in your home. Easy to throw in the laundry with your normal loads, cloth napkins are great for cleaning, better for constant kid spills and super durable.

(2) Buy Used. Good for your budget and the planet… most things can be bought used. We buy/ trade used almost all of our kid’s clothing and some of our own. Big ticket items are much less expensive pre-owned and unless you want the latest and greatest (insert hybrid cars here), there is always a great selection.

(3) Grow some veggies! If you saw my previous composting and Spring garden posts, you know this is a new and exciting adventure for our family, but I know there are many of you out there that are already pros. If you don’t have the land or leisure time for a garden, try to buy local produce whenever possible. www.localharvest.org can help you search for your nearest farmer’s market.

(4) Get a whiteboard. Dry erase or chalk boards are great ways to cut down on paper for household communication, grocery lists, etc. If you are a “list” person and need something to carry, use the back of junk mail and envelopes. This tip is especially important if you have kids. My kids LOVE to do crafts and draw. We are trying to differentiate for them when is is OK to use real paper (crafts, things they want to give to grandma) and when they should use the white board (all daily doodles!)

(5) Use Reusable gift wrap! You didn’t think I would forget this one, did you? check out www.fabricwrapper.com for wrapping for every occasion. So much waste is generated by disposable wrapping… please make this change!

I have always recycled. Sounds fabricated, but my hippie parents were before their time in this regard. But my shift in thinking about “reduce and reuse” is very recent. I am probably not alone… after all, our psyches have been inundated with a consumer society for so long that we should not be too hard on ourselves if it takes some time to completely change our paradigm.

I think the roots of my consumerism can be found in the saying “time is money”. Any time wasted doing something that was not a leisure pursuit, after all, could be spent working (how our nation got into that mentality is an entirely different article!). So why cut up apples for your snack when they come “pre-cut” in little bags? Why spend the time cleaning those dirty lawn chairs when we can buy new ones? Thus began our slide into a pre-packaged and disposable society.

Last year we hung inexpensive faux bamboo blinds on our screened porch to add privacy and shade. After a very windy storm a couple of days ago I went outside to find little remnants of the shade… the bottom slats had torn off. The blinds were cheap… why not throw all that plastic in the trash and get new ones? Of course you know what I did. I cut off the bottom of each blind, string by string, took off the damaged slats and re-tied each one. It took a long time. And then I made some “slow food” for dinner. And you know what? It felt really good.

For more on reducing consumerism, visit one of our donor partners, http://www.newdream.org/.