Embracing a green holiday season extends beyond adorning the tree or hanging wreaths—it's about infusing sustainability into every festive moment. In our quest to forge new traditions and create meaningful experiences, we should be exceptionally mindful of our ecological footprint. Distance from loved ones, especially over the holidays, prompts a reevaluation of celebration practices, providing a unique opportunity to cultivate fresh, eco-conscious approaches. From eco-friendly decorations to supporting local businesses, discover five impactful ways to make your holidays green this year.
1. Organic Foods
When you grocery shop (whether in-person or virtually), be mindful of the choices you make. Look for unprocessed foods that use less chemicals, or try to shop at an outdoors farmers market where you can talk directly to the vendors to understand what their pesticide practices are. Shopping from a local bakery that can tell you the origin of their flour over a packaged loaf from the grocery store is one easy way to do it!
We think about our yarns the way a baker thinks about their loaves: it matters what goes into them. Our Recycled Cotton Blend is made from recycled t-shirt and fabric cuttings, while our Recycled Polyester that we use on our Indoor/Outdoor Eco Throws styles comes from plastic bottles (78 rescued bottles per throw, in fact). And our new Eco Wool Blend is a mix of 50% Merino / 25% recycled cotton/ 25% recycled polyester.
2. Replanting Greens
We love the festive look of berries and boughs for the holidays. But why not consider the greenery that you buy a starting point and plant them once you are done? You can get lasting eco-friendly pots and display them on your front porch now and then move them into your garden. Not only is that more environmentally friendly, but you’ll always have the memories of when you planted them!
3. Shop Small & Local
Shppping online means there is a carbon footprint on every purchase. Ask questions before you buy! In2Green manufactures everything domestically to reduce our overall carbon footprint, and we encourage anyone who is close enough to visit our shop in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY to shop our products along with local artisans and makers’ gift ideas.
4. Skip the Clutter
We love beautiful wrapping on a gift, but using tons of colored paper or ribbon that you’ll throw away in seconds after opening is a terrible waste. Try using unbleached paper and drawing on it or wrapping in scrap fabric. If you do use wrapping paper or gift bags, open carefully and re-use them for next year so your overall consumption goes down.
5. Buy Meaningful Gifts
As tempting as it is to buy funny gag gifts or little tchotkes to fill up stockings, investing in personal gifts that the recipients will continue to use year after year is ultimately better for the environment. The more we use each individual item, the less we throw into land fills every year. In2Green customizable eco throws are perfect gifts, because they are not only sustainable and luxurious but also meant just for that recipient.
We are so grateful for the tips on how to green for the holidays from GreenThatLife.com, and we’d enjoy hearing yours as well! Drop us a line at info@in2green.com with your eco-friendly holiday suggestions or DM us on our Instagram at @In2Green. Or just reach out if you need help finding the perfect gifts to give this year — we drop ship for you so you don’t have to waste any shipping!
