Tipped off by an article in Mindful Metropolis, we just read this alarming figure from the Clean Air Council: In the U.S., an additional 5 million tons of waste is generated during the holidays. Four million tons of this is wrapping paper and shopping bags.
Although opting for reusable wrapping paper and shopping bags may seem like small steps, statistics like these remind us that actions like these do matter. For tips on greening your wrapping and shopping habits, click through the links below.
GREEN GIFT WRAPPING
• 9 Ways to Green Your Gift Wrapping
• Green Gift Wrapping: Divine Twine
• 6 Alternatives to Wrapping Paper that You Can Find Around the House
• How To: Use a Reusable Bag as Gift Wrap
• Reusable Fabric Bags and Wraps from Etsy
REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS
• How To: Make a Reusable Grocery Bag
• Top 10 Ways to Remember Your Reusable Tote
• Good Questions: Good Reusable Grocery Bags?
• How To: Make a Shopping Bag from a T-Shirt
• Baggu Bags
READ MORE
• Waste Facts and Figures from the Clean Air Council
• Deck the Halls, Not the Landfill by Mandy Burrell Booth, Mindful Metropolis
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Comments (8)
We made fabric gift bags about six years ago. Super simple sewing in colourful fabric purchased from a thrift shop (and some acquired from a furniture store that was throwing away its sample swatches!). We have about thirty and they're all different sizes. We recycle them every year and tell our kids that santa will wrap everything when he comes. We also use them for birthdays within the family.
Paper gift bags make the rounds through all the kids' birthday parties in our group of friends. Some have been going 'round for at least three years. They're a bit banged up, but generally good to go.
Basically, there's absolutely NO reason to buy paper wrapping paper.
Having already wrapped most of my gifts, I wish I would have seen this first. Just from the wrapping alone I had a mountain of useless paper scraps. This is brilliant.
That's exactly what we have been doing, wc_canuck. Each person in the family has its signature colours, we decorated the fabric-wrapped presents with flowers or other interesting things we find at the beach or in nature. The kids love it because it looks new every time. Also there's no rushing to the stores trying to find paper that's not tacky and the after-holiday rubbish is minimal.
Yes, absolutely No reason to buy paper anymore...
We bought new dishes from Crate and Barrel this month. I reused all of the paper they had wrapped our plates and bowls in. Topped off with 50% off ribbon from Michael's, they look pretty nice!
I also have a huge bin under our bin with every gift bag we've ever been given. I'm not sure the kids have caught on that they get the same gift bags every year, and frankly, I'm not sure they'd care!
TBH, I never really gave much thought to just how much waste we create during the holidays. This year I'll either buy festive boxes that can be reused, year after year, as well as go the fabric route. IKEA has lots of fun and inexpensive prints to choose from. Thanks for the information and inspiration!
if you're buying/making reusable boxes and bags (or using fabric as wrapping 'paper' like in the picture), remember you can make it even freakier-green by buying used. thrift stores are full of cool old tins, wooden boxes (which you can paint), fabric, curtains, silk scarves, plus yarn, ribbon and ricrac for trim.
I'm a designer at an engineering firm. We throw away marked up and old building plans everyday. Around Christmas time every year, I start to collect for wrapping. It's free and recycled. I usually do something creative with it like unusual ribbons or tags. It usually turns out cute.
Crate and Barrel Outlets also have fabric for a few dollars. Love the wrapping!!