Print or download the December Program Theme poster.
DID YOU KNOW?
- A consumer needs to reuse an artificial tree for 5 – 10 years to establish an environmental impact lower than that of real trees.
- If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
- Americans throw away about 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
- A single farmed tree absorbs more than 1 ton of CO2 throughout its lifetime.
- About 2.65 billion holiday cards are sold in the United States each year.
- LED lights use about 1/6 the amount of energy that traditional holiday lights use
WHAT CAN YOU DO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?
- When disposing of an artificial tree, consider donating it to a charity, a needy family, or a re-sale store, since many artificial trees are not biodegradable.
- Consider sending digital holiday cards, purchasing paper products made only from 100% post-consumer recycled materials, and re-using other paper products to make cards and wrapping paper.
- Consider giving experiences rather than stuff! Use the So Kind Registry to create a list of experiences you’d like to receive.
- Shop locally and from thrift and re-sale shops for your holiday shopping.
- Take time with your family to assess your holiday activities and their worth with this Holiday Assessment worksheet.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Traveling is an integral part of the holidays, so it’s important to think of environmental impacts. Sustainable tourism can be simply defined as “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”
RESOURCES ABOUT SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAYS
Email: Greengames@unc.edu Website: go.unc.edu/greengames