9 Simple Tips for Less Waste, More Holiday Fun |
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Support Madison businesses, reduce waste, and get creative with these simple tips for a healthy, memorable holiday season! |
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1. Give sustainable goodies
Bright cloth napkins, organic beauty products, cool reusable containers or other zero-waste goods will bring cheer to your home. Shop at Sustainable Haus (napkins pictured above) or Good Bottle Refill Shop.
The Winter Farmer’s Market at Convent Station offers sustainable holiday food and gifts like honey, candles, granola, maple syrup.
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2. Go vintage & unique
Before heading to the mall, try local consignment and thrift shops for out-of-the-ordinary gifts such as home decor, classic books, and stylish clothing and accessories.
Sprouts for childrenswear and maternity clothes.
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3. Share experiences
Tickets & Memberships
Creative experiences make perfect family fun. Try Madison Mud and Crafted in Madison. Or go tech and create a family archive video to enjoy together or virtually.
Digital subscriptions offer something for everyone whether online magazines, streaming services or video games. Try Spotify for music lovers, BritBox to binge British mysteries or the NYT Crossword for puzzle fanatics.
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4. Go zero waste with wrapping and decor
Repurpose scarves, tea towels and bandanas as gift wrap. You can use them year after year.
Decorative boxes, tins and bags can be reused year after year. See what you already have at home, or get them for a bargain from charitable thrift shops such as Market Street Mission Thrift Store.
Replace bows and ribbons with natural embellishments that celebrate the season, like pine cones, evergreen sprigs, and cinnamon sticks. Get creative!
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5. Shop local
Shopping in Madison not only keeps money in our community and fosters local job growth, it also helps the environment when you drive less distance. Even better, walk or bike to where you're shopping!
When you shop locally instead of online, you also reduce pollution from delivery trucks and excessive packaging.
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6. Entertain environmentally
Replace pre-packaged single-serve items with healthier, less wasteful options such as fresh fruit and homemade cookies.
Set your table with cloth napkins instead of paper.
Encourage guests to bring reusable containers for leftovers.
Reduce your food waste with a subscription to Java's Compost. You can subscribe just for a month or two if you'd like.
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7. Try Our Favorite Books
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8. Give a Sweet Treat
Who doesn't love going out in Madison during the holidays?
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Op-Eds by Madison Residents:
Leaf Blowers, Forest Ecosystems, Home Energy Savings
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Electric Landscaping for Cleaner Communities |
From the Madison Eagle and the Chatham Courier: Gas leaf blowers "expose their users and the general public to significant health risks," writes a team of multi-town authors, including Madison Environmental Commission member Ellen Kranefuss.
"A growing body of academic and government research reveals that gas leaf blowers are a major source of harmful pollutants...largely due to their inefficient two-stroke engines. Gas leaf blowers’ extreme noise, meanwhile, can cause permanent hearing loss for their operators in as little as 15 minutes." Read more...
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From the Star-Ledger: "A forest isn’t just a bunch of trees that you can swap out like last year’s wardrobe. It’s an ecosystem," writes Claire Whitcomb, chair of the Madison Environmental Commission.
"A forest's environmental benefits can’t be replicated by planting juvenile trees here and there in parks or on suburban lawns. Scientists learn more every year about what goes on beneath the forest floor and it is clear that trees talk to each other and share nutrients through vast fungal networks." Read more...
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Also from the Madison Eagle and the Chatham Courier: "The new passive affordable housing construction in Madison is so laudable," writes Drew University professor and Sustainable Madison Advisory Committee member Dr. Lisa Jordan.
"The high cost of housing makes it harder for (many) families to pay for good nourishment and medical care...I listened in on the Fair Share Housing conditional settlement in Morris County courts, when Judge Gaus applauded Madison’s plan to meet their obligation, including construction of 14 units of affordable housing as energy efficient, passive homes." Read more...
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Attend a Madison Environmental Commission (MEC) Meeting
Have an environmental concern or idea for Madison?
Want to get involved in Madison's environmental efforts around climate resiliency, energy efficiency, habitat preservation and restoration, water conservation, and/or reducing pollution?
Join the next MEC meeting!
Next Meeting: Thursday, December 16
7:30 p.m. by Zoom
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Do you know someone who'd be interested in receiving Madison Environmental Commission's newsletter?
If so, please forward this email and let them know they can sign up here to receive future issues. |
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Follow @GreenMadisonNJ on social media for the latest eco-tips, events, discussion & more.
We want to hear your thoughts there, too!
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