Small Change Can Lead to Big Change!
I am through buying conventional wrapping paper. I can't believe I just said that, but it's true! I'm turning over a new leaf effective immediately.
I have recycled brown paper shopping bags and wrapping paper from gifts received that I always reuse, so I am set. I know I can do it because this past Christmas, my daughter, Toby, and I wrapped all of our gifts by reusing the tissue, boxes and ribbons from previous holidays and no one seemed to care. In fact, everyone liked the idea when I told them what I had done!
Toby and I have quite the system going: She lets me do the sometimes complicated task of wrapping the gift (brown paper can be stiff), then she gets to doodle her creation on the package, and voila! Her efforts always make the present even more special and unique to the recipient.
This is a worthwhile change that is an easy commitment for most people. Your gifts will have a personalized look, and before long, you'll have your friends doing it too! I have found that as long as I have a good attitude about the whole conservation movement, those around me do too. Many of my friends and colleagues have really responded to my eco habits and have made changes in their lives accordingly. Now talk about grass roots!
Knowing that my new resolution will positively impact the environment impresses my daughter and makes me proud. Join me; this one’s easy!
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There was a time when I tried to re-use comics from the newspaper or the wall street pages for a guy at Christmas time. My family looked at me stangely and felt sorry for me because I was broke at the time. I've also tried to re-use brown paper bags and cards for tags (I've done this for years) with the same result. Now I re-use the gift bags and try to find ways of using part of the gift as decoration and that's received a little better. I save the bows every year too.
It's funny how more accepting people are now than the used to be. Keep the suggestions coming. Ida Dempster
Emme - First I have to say that I have admired you for a long time as a plus size teenager a decade ago I didn't have a lot of role models.
Second - I am TERRIBLE about wrapping paper. I never have any in the house or I will have one role for the wrong holiday/occasion so I will end up giving the gift just in the bag from the store I bought it in or tie a spare piece of yarn around it as a bow. Now I can just say that I don't like adding to the waste and consumption so that's why I didn't wrap it! I was green without even trying :)
My fiance and I have also made the switch to reusable grocery bags and I use a washable lunch container and fabric bag. I am still having trouble weaning him off the constant flow of plastic baggies for his lunch but I am working on it. Plus now I am getting concerned about the chemicals that come from plastic, especially when heating up food in the microwave. Do you have any thoughts on a green and healthy way to tackle this?
Our company www.whatsurbag-usa.com is about to debut at the www.gogreenexpo.com in NYC on the last week end of April. We make reusable shopping bags that are flexible fashionable and socially concious. All of our bags are made in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina Survivors. In fact all of our vendors are outsourced there. We wanted to give new business and jobs to a struggling economy in New Orleans. Our bags hold twice as much as a plastic bag because they are flexible and they bounce when you walk so whatever you are carrying seems lighter.The website is not done yet but we are almost ready to hit the streets. Stay tuned! Joan Elmore
PS part of our proceeds go to Hope House in New Orleans a charity that feeds,trains and helps the homeless find housing.You can see the bags at www.whatsurbag-usa.com
Joan Elmore Nutting
joaneelmore@whatsurbag-usa.com