Make Your Holidays Zero-Waste

Make Your Holidays Zero-Waste

“Meet the needs of the present without compromising the future generations ability to meet their needs.” Brundtland Commission.

This is what we know as Sustainability. In Ana Leal, founder of AMLY Sustainability words Sustainability is to live a prosper, happy and healthy life without damaging natural ecosystems and allowing our children to live in plenitud. Plenitud does not mean excess, it means to live better with less. This is more relevant this year because 2020 brought turmoil and disdain limiting our ability to live in plenitud. Hopefully, the holiday season can bring us faith and cheer us up while we wait for an amazing 2021. Thinking about food, gifts, small family gatherings, and shopping can keep us in a positive mood. While you do your favorite holidays activities keep in mind how you do it. For sure no one wants more local or global issues. Can you imagine that the holidays add an extra 25% of household waste? Yes, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day Americans create one million extra tons of waste (EPA.gov). Considering food only, the United States is the global leader in food waste, with Americans discarding nearly 40 million tons of food every year. A dichotomy after the extreme need for food in 2020.

The celebration can continue just be smart and follow simple ways to green your holidays and protect our planet.

- Plan ahead for meals and parties. It’s not only economical, but it will reduce the amount of food thrown away.

- Recycle wrapping paper and cardboard. Flatten boxes and paper to fit in recycling bins.

- Use real plates, napkins, cutlery and cups or find compostable options.

- Throw a zero-waste holiday gathering even with your small circle.

- Collect plastics and clean styrofoam containers and drop them off at the supermarket.

- Prefer LED lights to lower your energy bills and resource use.

- Recycle your Christmas tree as mulch, for compost, at the zoo, to help beach erosion or to make hearty crafts.

- Don’t buy unnecessary items. - Donate unwanted items or excess food, gifts.

- Recycle old electronics at designated locations.

- Separate organic waste from recyclable items to minimize what goes to landfill.

- Compost to reduce chemical fertilizers, it is economical and healthier for your plants and yourself.

- Turn off lights if rooms are empty.

- Don’t let water run for long.

- Encourage kids to care for their new toys and donate gently used old ones. Make this holiday season the first of many full of positive actions and change bad habits that cost you money, increase waste, trigger global warming and damage our planet.

AMLY Sustainability sincerely hopes your holidays are fabulous despite the odds and wishes everyone an amazing new year. We look forward to working with your business, establishment and organization to make this a better place and a Sustainable one for us and future generations.

For more information please visit www.amlysustainability. com or email info@amlysustainability.com.