The writing team from all across the Green Options Media network is spending time with family and friends, and we all hope you’re doing the same. While Christmas (and other winter holidays) are most often associated with the giving and receiving of gifts, it’s also a time to reflect on the year past, and to express gratitude. I want to thank the writing team here at sustainablog, and all of our GO network writers, for their commitment and [...]
What’s the truth about Santa Claus? Who is this large, jovial fellow with flying reindeer and hordes of merry elves? If the truth about Saint Nicholas can lay the commercial icon to rest, maybe it can also restore the true meaning of Christmas as a time of peace on Earth, love and goodwill toward all.
The German intellectual, Georg Lichtenberg, once said that “to do just the opposite is also a form of imitation,” but reversing Saint Nicholas’ image is certainly not the most sincere way to flatter it. Santa as a commercial icon undercuts the ideology of benevolence and humble giving. See this video on the chain of consumption for an idea of who gets left out when Santa goes corporate. A truer idea of the real Saint Nicholas and his current image around the world might reconnect us with the greater feelings of compassion and caring that should symbolize this (and every) season.
At a time in history that is so fraught with emotional, environmental and overall psychological stress, it only seems proper to wish everyone who reads this column the very best during these days of celebration.
My wife’s oldest son, Dave Mason, sent this greeting, in hopes of covering all the ideological and generational bases in one fell swoop. With his permission, Sally and I, and the whole family would like to join Dave in celebrating the season:
The big day ‘o gifts is fast approaching and every child I know is bouncing off the walls! (Of course in kid-world, time is dragging painfully slow!) If you are interested in creating a more sustainable future consider an annual observance of the winter solstice. This is a great opportunity to connect our children to the endless rhythms of nature.
For most of us, the winter solstice will be Dec. 22nd. There are so many ways to approach this pivotal moment in earth’s year: astronomically, historically, agriculturally, religiously/comparative religiously, anthropologically. For example, hundreds of years before Stonehenge, there was Newgrange – a massive structure in Ireland that captures the beam of the rising sun on the winter solstice. And this year, for the first time, you can view this event live via webcast!
Is it possible to celebrate Christmas without buying a dead tree or, worse, substituting a tree altogether with a vaguely tree-like heap of plastic, metal, and tinsel? Yes! Let’s look at three ways to find your perfect Christmas “sustainabili-tree.”
The first option you should consider is bringing a live tree into your home. It doesn’t have to be a huge evergreen tree. It could be whatever trees are common to your area, or whichever species you might fancy planting around or near your house. (In fact, it doesn’t even have to be a tree. Some bushes and shrubs look very tree-like and acclimate wonderfully to indoor living.) You could even plant a fruiting tree, like a persimmon tree if it grows in your climate, which offers beautiful and sweet fruit during the Christmas season. It might take a year or two after planting to fruit, but you’ll have a cache of delicacies when it does.
It has become predictable, with every approaching holiday, the green blogosphere erupts in eco-advice. Recently, I have received several emails asking for suggestions on how to reduce waste during this sometimes glutinous holiday. All the shopping bags, gift wrapping, decorating, etc. adds up to a tremendous amounts of packaging waste, which makes it challenging to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Here are a few suggestions for greening your Christmas celebrations. These suggestions also apply to other winter holidays.
The Environmentalist 12 Days of Christmas
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Twelve trees a-planted
Eleven CFL’s shining
Ten Fair-Trade chocolates
Nine PV panels lighting
Eight manatees a-swimming
Seven acres protecting
Six chimps a-swinging
Five No Conflict Diamonds
Over 30 million "real" Christmas trees are sold in the US each year. That's a lot of trees. And while chopping down trees may logically seem like the un-green thing to do, environmental researchers tend to say otherwise. You see, artificial trees are made with the highly toxic substance PVC.
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