13 Ways to Have a Green Chanukah
(or any holiday, for that matter)
1. Save paper - send e-cards instead!
2. Give environmentally conscious gifts that are renewable or reusable -- CFL lightbulbs, travel mugs, reusable water bottles, cloth bags, linen napkins, reusable lunchboxes...heck, reusable grocery bags are super-hot right now - give one or two tied with a pretty ribbon!
3. Give gifts of time or that will be "used up" -- gift certificates for massages, for special outings or babysitting, tickets to shows or concerts, magazine subscriptions, baked goods or food gifts (see below for the giveaway!) etc.
4. 8 nights, make 8 green resolutions for you and your family. Here's a list of suggestions from the Coalition on Environment in Jewish Life. Some ideas: agree to drive less, turn the heat down one degree, recycle more, etc.
5. Host Green parties for the holidays. Use e-vites, dim the lights, give each guest a mug or glass as their "party gift" and ask them to use it throughout the night (think of how many cups you'll save)
6. Go vegetarian for a few nights of the holiday or for all of the holiday!
7. Pay attention to your consumption and waste. Did you know between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day alone, Americans produce an extra one million tons of trash per week compared to any other time of the year. Try to throw away less during this holiday.
8. Make gifts from recycled objects. Wow, quite a list here.
9. Turn off the lights and watch the Chanukah candles burn. Save electricity by spending an electricity-free evening -- skip the computer, the tv, the ipod, and share a family game night or story night.
10. Pack your lunch and celebrate Chanukah each day by eating in. Try a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich. You'd be amazed at how one sandwich can change the world.
11. Give the gift of your own time. Find a place to take your family and volunteer during the holiday.
12. Going out shopping? Prepare your trip in advance so as to use the least amount of fuel by getting as much as possible in one place. Save trips!
13. Be conscious of your wrapping -- use cloth bags, tie a ribbon, recycle wrapping paper or newspaper...The average consumer wraps 20 gifts during the holidays. If just three of those gifts were wrapped in cloth bags, the paper saved could cover 45,000 football fields! (Source: Cygnus Group)
(See more Thursday Thirteen here)
And now...the Giveaway!
I am so excited to offer a FREE Chanukah gift tray ($25 value) from the Oh! Nuts, a company offering beautiful food gifts of chocolate and nuts.
(although truthfully, you can use the gift certificate to buy non-Chanukah items too!)
Plus! A Chanukah discount...10% off a a Chanukah or any order on http://www.ohnuts.com/, just use code HBW1116 when checking out.
How you can win:
1. Make a comment here or on any of my Chanukah Countdown Party posts. Say something nice about Chanukah. This is your entry! You can enter each day - once per day. Come back and visit all week!
2. If you feel so inclined (I'd like it a lot), post on your blog or tell a friend about this giveaway and link back to me.
(you can grab my Chanukah Countdown Party code too:
<a href="http://imabima.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc126/imabima/chanukahcountdown.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>)
3. Don't forget to give me a way to get in touch with you if you win!
4. Contest ends on Sunday, December 2nd at 5pm. I will post the winner Monday morning!
Previous Chanukah Countdown Party Posts:
How do you spell Chanukah?
What works for me on Chanukah
Join the party!
12 comments:
How wonderful...great tips and adorable Chanukah tray!
What I love about Chanukah is the story of the Jewish people battling through adversity. It is a timeless story...that can be passed on l'dor v'dor (from generation to generation) :)
Happy Chanukah!
Bradley
The Egel Nest
Yes, it might work on your dryer. I forgot to mention I also use hairspray to get ink off of slick surfaces, especially dry erase boards!
I love this list. Keeps the joy and spirit of the holiday, while bringing artfully mixing in the concerns and knowledge of the 21st century.
As a rabbi, my favorite aspect of teaching Chanukah to adults is debunking the 8 days of oil myth, and celebrating the true story of Jewish strength, victory, and courage.
I will absolutely link back to you, my dear!
Those are all good tips, for any time of year. I could do most of them but not #6! Definitely no way!
Excellent tips for the whole year round.
Love these ideas! Great T13!
What a great list! Thank you. You just gave PB&J a whole new look in my eyes. Not that we don't already eat a lot of it ... 'cause we do. Man, we do ...
Now I really want to win and my daughter Georgia would like to win the most. Can she enter for herself when she comes home from school????
I'm combining 2, 3 and 8 by trying to make gifts from mainly recycled things that can be used over and over. So far, I'm really liking it. It seems so much more meaningful than just buying yet another hunk of plastic. I have yet to see how others will feel about their hand-made gifts, though.
Although, I admit, that the Chanukah packages have started arriving from the family far away and they make me giddy. :-)
Oh, and as for 13, I saved some paper filler from shoes I bought via the internet and had my kids reuse it as coloring paper. When they were done, I saved it to use for wrapping paper. I'm so proud of myself plus it's much easier than trying to find Chanukah paper.
Those are some awesome ideas! Ecards are really the best!
What a great giveaway! You're so generous :) Chanukah Hanukkah or however anyone wants to spell it is a fun holiday for those who understand it's meaning, but even for those who don't, 8 days of gifts!
~Julie http://velvet-rose.net
Thanks for all of the tips! I really wish I could turn down the heat in my apartment by one degree-- but sadly, I don't have control of it. :(
K.
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