“It’s really important to recycle ... to manage all the stuff we produce in great quantities to have a lighter footprint on the planet,” said Ulfelder. “I try to choose the wrapping papers I know are recyclable,” he added, noting that some have materials that make them harder to recycle.
He said recycling becomes “doubly important” around the holiday season because of the high quantities of disposable items purchased.
You can also save and reuse gift bags, ribbons and bows you receive.
The holidays are a time for big gatherings and indulgent meals, so it’s important to be mindful about food waste as well. Try not to buy more than you can eat, and make use of leftovers after big meals.
There are many environmental benefits to purchasing produce grown locally and planning more plant-based meals as well.
“If it’s an option where you live, compost whatever is left over,” added Ulfelder. “It’s a good way to minimize waste.”
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
The end of the year is a good time to calculate your carbon footprint and offset it.
“All of us in our daily lives as we commute to work and turn on lights, we’re emitting a certain amount of carbon pollution over the course of a year, which is contributing to climate change,” Ulfelder said.
The Nature Conservancy recommends using a carbon footprint calculator like the one the University of California, Berkeley offers on its website. These calculators ask questions about the transportation you use, how many plane trips you took in a year, what your diet consists of and more. They then give an estimate of your carbon footprint.
“You can go to a website like Carbon Fund or Terrapass and contribute in a way that offsets your carbon pollution footprint,” said Ulfelder. “That can be tree planting, promoting renewable energy or other ways.”
“It’s also not a bad gift for folks,” he added. “If you have a sense of what someone’s carbon footprint is, a nice gift to them is saying, ‘Hey, I made you carbon neutral this year by investing in tree planting’ or something like that.”
Go Outside
The holiday season is a great time to connect with nature.
“We may think of the holidays as a time to just be inside, bundled up, but it’s actually a great time to get outdoors,” said Ulfelder, who suggests sledding, snowshoeing and taking walks as nice winter activities.
“There are a lot of benefits to going outside and being outdoors all year round,” he added. “Especially during the stressful holiday season.”