Tips for a Sustainable Holiday Season

Some of my favorite memories growing up are getting everyone loaded up into the car and driving to the Christmas tree farm. We would have all the old blankets in the trunk, the bungee cords, twine and rope all in the tub labeled “Bungees,” and all the extra winter gear piled on the seats. My sister and I would wander around and look for the best tree. A full tree, no big gaps, and I always wanted them to be as tall as possible, even though our house had 10’ ceilings. My dad would mark the trees we thought were our top choices with his hat or a glove so then we could go back and forth to decide which we thought was the best. We’d eventually decide and go collect all the gear from the other trees. Then, we would cut down our tree and take it back to get it loaded up onto the car to take home.

So many people have their own special family traditions and memories. The holidays are a time to share joy and love and celebrate family and traditions. It is also a time when a lot of consumer waste is created. This blog post shares little changes that you can make to reduce waste and be more green around the holidays!

• Have a real tree during the holidays. It might seem a bit counterintuitive but having a real tree can be an easy switch to prevent plastic trees from ending up in the landfill. Plastic or fake trees typically end up in the landfill after a few years of use. Many municipalities offer free curbside pickup for Christmas trees after the holidays, so all you have to do is remove the decorations and get it out to the curb. Some tree farms give you the opportunity to buy a tree that still has the roots, so you can return the tree for them to replant, or you can plant the tree in your own yard after the holidays!

• Shop local! This is  an easy option here in Door County. There are many wonderful businesses found here and many are open throughout the year, giving a perfect opportunity to shop locally. When you shop local, the items don’t have to be shipped to you and then shipped elsewhere, and you are supporting a business that is part of your community. Many communities participate in Small Business Saturday, which is Saturday, November 30^th this year. Door County has many amazing small businesses. You can find more information about shopping small and Small Business Saturday here: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/organization/sba-initiatives/small-business-saturday and find local shops that participate here: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/maps?cat=Shop-Small&linknav=us-loy-shoppers-shopsmallmap&intlink=us-GABM-ShopSmallLP

• Give homemade gifts. I love giving homemade cookies as a gift. My family loves baking, and we go all out for Christmas. There were always hundreds of cookies around the house during the holiday season. My sister and I always gave cookies to our teachers, coaches, and friends, and it was something they looked forward to every year. Giving something homemade is special and always sure to get a smile. A homemade gift also reduces packaging and plastic consumption. The Ridges Sanctuary can help with some of these homemade gifts! We offer several wreath-making workshops using locally and sustainably harvested greenery. Check out the link here to register if you are interested!

• Ditch the wrapping paper. Wrapping paper is shiny and glittery and frequently can’t be recycled! A fun switch is to use a type of packing paper, or something similar that can be recycled and decorated with stamps or drawings. You can make the packages as exciting as you want and then recycle them after. Plain packing paper can also be shredded into your home compost!

• Gift an experience! The Ridges Sanctuary is excited to celebrate the winter season and share the beauty and peace of nature with everyone, and we think you should share experiences with your loved ones as well. Experiences are a great gift to give, especially if the person you are looking for a gift for doesn’t want more stuff! We offer several different memberships just right for someone you love. We also have different programs that you can do here together.
  • December 14th is Natural Christmas at The Ridges! It’s an opportunity to enjoy nature and a bit of holiday cheer. Spoiler alert: this year’s theme is cardinals! Many people make this event part of their annual holiday traditions.
  • December 26th-30th is our Luminaries event where you can take a relaxing post-holiday rush stroll along our candlelit boardwalk and enjoy the serenity of nature on a winter’s evening.

However you spend your holidays, spend them with joy and happiness. There is always something so hopeful to me about the holiday season and the happiness people share from strangers in the grocery store smiling, to giving your family a hug. It’s truly one of my favorite times of the year, and I can’t wait to see how Door County celebrates.