Speak for the Trees

Written by Josie Hammond and Liv Adao

Happy Holidays Tree Huggers! We want to dedicate this week’s post to giving you some tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years when it comes to enjoying your consumeristic holiday season while also feeling responsible and treating the earth with care. But first, let’s hear what Mary Oliver has to say on the matter.

This poem is a reminder that life is more than gifts! It is about giving to others through service, boundless compassion, and acts of love. As Mary so eloquently puts it, life is about “giving until the giving feels like receiving”. So, as you go about reading this article and as you reflect after, keep this poem in the back of your mind. You do have a life. That is a gift on its own. Cherish this wonderful gift and make a selfless and necessary effort to give Mother Nature the gift of care and protection.

Back to business, but before we even delve into our advice, let’s address some alarming statistics.

• The U.S. produces approximately 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper annually, with about half ending up in landfills
• Over 1 billion Christmas cards are discarded each year in the U.S.
• Americans generate 25% more waste during the holiday season, totaling an additional 5 million tons of garbage
• An estimated $10.1 billion is spent on unwanted gifts each holiday season in the U.S.

Although seeing statistics like these can make your contributions seem insignificant and even hopeless, every contribution and effort you make truly does make a difference for our beautiful Earth. In fact, recycling one aluminum saves enough energy to power holiday lights for two hours. So, whether it’s substituting eco-friendly, recyclable or compostable wrapping paper for your regular plastic one, buying a Christmas tree from your local farm, or simply asking for less gifts in general, your actions make a difference.

We are keeping it pretty short and sweet today with some simple methods to reduce those statistics. We want to provide some of our favorite websites for sustainable shopping and encourage you to find things that work for you. Here are some specific links to websites we enjoy:

• General items: Earth Hero
• Hygiene products: Sustain Yourself
• Socks: Conscious Step
• Clothing and more: Parks Project

Additionally, we think that something that is often overlooked is giving gifts that are second hand. Websites such as Depop, Etsy, eBay, Poshmark, and even Facebook Marketplace are perfect for buying second-hand or hand-made goods to support local producers and the sustainability cycle. Also, taking initiative to handmake your own gifts for others is another excellent way to celebrate the holidays sustainably. Last year we both picked up crocheting, making beanies for loved ones! We also love to give baked goods and make homemade cards to people. The truth is that gifts are meant to be an act of love and appreciation, not a consumeristic token. So, the message we want to spread is one we commonly harp on: resist consumer culture. As you are crafting your Christmas Wishlist, take time to deeply reflect on each item. Why do I want this? Does this have a purpose in my life? We find that even waiting a couple days to add something to your list can reveal if you still want that thing or not. Oftentimes it’s the temporary gratification that clouds our consciousnesses.

So, your homework is to try and implement these tactics into your holiday season, and to not fall victim to the constant advertisements and consumeristic propaganda that fast fashion and big corporations try to feed you. I think we all can agree on the fact that the real reason for the season is spending it with those you love and cherishing the intangible things that mean the most to us! Thank you for reading and supporting us as always. We are grateful for each and every one of you. Happy holidays!!