The James River Steward’s Almanac

Green Holiday Tips

Be a Friend of the River…make smart food choices.

The holidays are a time for great food shared with family and friends. Make the decision to purchase food with less packaging and recycle or compost the packaging to reduce the amount of trash that ends up in our environment where it is harmful to wildlife and water quality.

Make sure to bring reusable bags to cut down on waste from plastic bags. Purchase local fruits and vegetables to cut down the distance the food needs to travel, which is better for air quality and pollution. Food packaging creates millions of tons of waste. You can reduce this number by cutting down on bottled water, single portion packages, and pre-packaged foods. Instead use filtered tap water and purchase items in bulk. Recycle as much of the packaging as possible, which will reduce energy consumption and lower air and water pollution. Remember to compost your veggie scraps, egg shells, and compostable packaging.

10 Ways to Reduce Environmental Footprint
Wasteful Food Packaging
Buy in Bulk

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Be a Guardian of the River…give gifts that give back to the environment.

The greenest gift of all is to make a charitable donation to an environmental non-profit organization in a loved one’s name or give an annual pass to our state or national parks.

Encourage healthy habits with a new bike, compost bin, or nice recycling bins. If you are creative, make them gifts out of recycled materials either from around your home or from a local thrift store. Give a book on composting, how to live green, plant and animal field guides, or native landscaping.

When wrapping your gifts you can reduce waste by using various types of paper and ribbons from around the house or the thrift store. Another great idea is to wrap the gift in a gift, like a reusable shopping bag.

Green Gifts

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