I received a pitch recently that is perfect in the sense that it is relevant, informative and requires zero work from me. As a publicist myself , I appreciate that. Here are some things to think about this holiday season - the pitch verbatim:
Of course
you’ll be thinking about presents, parties and unwanted pounds but be
sure to take some time to ponder the planet – and what you can do to
help. Eco-savvy entrepreneur, green business author and eco-chic lifestyle
expert, Kim Carlson shows you how.
Decoration
Exploration
The EPA reports that approximately 33
million live Christmas trees are sold in North America
every year and the total power consumption from
Christmas lights is five times the entire energy output of the sun since the
beginning of time.
Kim
Carlson’s advice:
Look for ways to recycle your tree post-Holidays instead of
sending it to a landfill. Check with your
community solid waste department and find out if they collect and mulch
trees. The chippings from mulched trees can be used for hiking trails and
beachfront erosion barriers.
Also, consider buying a
potted tree and planting it when the festivities have come to an end.
Trash Talk
Americans throw away 25 percent more
trash during the Thanksgiving to New Years holiday period than any other time
of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage or 1 million
extra tons per week.
Kim
Carlson’s advice:
§
We all have too many things in our lives so give a dining or
cultural experience in the form of a restaurant gift certificate or tickets to
a concert, play or museum. Gift cards for gas, groceries and other necessities
are great options as well. All of these require little to no wrapping.
§
When you must wrap, save trees and
fuel used in the production of holiday paper by wrapping with recycled or
reusable materials. Use pretty pictures from your old magazines to cover gift
boxes and cut up scrap paper for gift tags.
§
Send
electronic greeting cards and recycle any paper cards you
receive.
§
Call ahead to a shelter or
food bank to arrange for a pick up of leftover food.
Gift
Green
About 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the
holiday season. Most of that is for plastic toys. It takes 50 – 80 years
for a small plastic toy to decompose.
Kim Carlson’s advice:
§
Try to buy gifts made from natural
materials. Look for toys made from sustainably forested wood, a bathmat
made from bamboo or a bathrobe made from soft organic cotton. Make sure
you’re also keeping a look-out for organic, recycled content and fair
trade labels.
§
Opt for locally made gifts to cut
down on fuel used and toxic emissions.
Buy rechargeable batteries to
accompany your electronic gifts, and consider giving a battery charger as
well. Rechargeable batteries reduce the amount of potentially harmful
materials thrown away, and can save money in the long run.
- Consider the
durability of a product before you buy it as a gift. Cheaper, less durable
items often wear out quickly, creating waste and costing you money.
