December 4th means tip number four from Summer’s Red and Green Holiday Season here on Mom Start. Have you ever really thought about all of the trash that Christmas amounts too? Christmas wrapping paper, packages, and more packages. Summer has a few ideas on how to wrap up those gifts and save the environment.
Rethink your wrapping! It’s fun and very memorable to wrap a child’s gift and have them rip it open with excitement, but here is my gift wrapping suggestion … BAG IT!
* Using a simple gift giving bag with tissue paper is a great way to reduce waste. Hopefully the recipient will reuse it, as will subsequent receivers, and when the bag and tissue paper become unusable the final recipient can recycle them.
* Buy or make cloth bags. For children, Santa can leave their sack which you can "mail back" or leave in the stocking for Santa’s elves to claim if you wish to continue this green tradition year after year. For adults, bag it with something they can continue to use such as an Envirosax®, ReUsies®, or even a purse or traveling makeup bag.
* Cloth bag patterns can be found for free online if you’re crafty, but if not support local businesses by buying locally produced wares. This makes your purchase even better for the environment by cutting long distance transportation costs such greenhouse gases and emissions.
I love to use the newspaper, or my children’s artwork as gift wrap. I think it’s a great touch for the grandparents and it’s a good way to pass on the art. Just remember to recycle all of the paper you can this year, that’s the first step.
About Summer:
Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living.
Such great ideas. I’m going to do the artwork!