IT IS that time of the year again for singing carols, giving gifts to family and friends and creating that ‘Christmas feeling’ through festive decorations in homes and offices. It is the time for reflection on the year gone by, and creating the right atmosphere for reuniting with family and friends in the spirit of the season. In the rush to create just the right setting for the holidays, we sometimes neglect to think about the environment, but this may in fact be the most important time to consider the impact of our actions on it.
Conserving electricity
During the Hindu observance of Diwali (Festival of Lights), diyas are lit, and electrical lights are turned off to enhance the effects of the flickering lights from these earthen pots. Unknowingly, this religious observance becomes quite environmentally-friendly, if we are to think about it. We burn less electricity on this night collectively, because we turn off our lights!
Christmas is quite the opposite. In fact, it may be the time of year when our electricity bills are highest. This, therefore, could be the first thing to consider in having a more environmentally friendly Christmas. It is always nice to light up our homes and yards for the Christmas season, but how can we do this in an environmentally-friendly way? Here are some tips you could possibly adopt:
– Invest in durable decorations and fairy lights which can be stored away after the Christmas holidays to be reused next Christmas.
– Buy long lengths of fairy lights instead of many short lengths.
– Turn off fairy lights before going to bed. Most people leave the Christmas lights on all night and may sometimes even forget to turn them off during the day.
Shopping
For many, Christmas is a time for lots of gift-shopping. Gift Stores and Shopping Malls are crowded for this reason, with happy consumers looking to carry home loads of gadgets, clothes and toys as Christmas gifts.
With the growing awareness of the problem of increased global warming as a result of burning large amounts of fossil fuels to manufacture, package and transport goods, how we go about shopping and selecting items can go a far way in being environmentally friendly for the Christmas season. Here are some ideas to help you and your family have a green Christmas this year.
– This is the busiest time of the year with heavy traffic congestions in central shopping areas. It would be best to opt for public transportation or park your vehicle at a central location and walk from store to store to shop.
– Buy gifts made locally rather than imported. This may be a refreshing change and valued by the recipient.
– Reuse gift wrapping paper and/or when buying gift wrapping paper select a design that would allow for reuse at another occasion such as birthdays, etc. In this way, you could encourage the gift recipient to also reuse gift paper instead of throwing it away.
These little things can go a long way in helping to achieve a low-carbon footprint during the Christmas Season, and still have a jolly time. Most importantly, you will be helping to protect the environment.
You can also share your ideas and questions by sending your letters to: ‘Our Environment’, C/o EIT Division. The Environmental Protection Agency, 7 Broad and Charles Street, Charlestown, GEORGETOWN. Or email us at eit.epaguyana@gmail.com with your questions and comments.