The 12 Days of Environmental Downfall
Written by: Pranathi Nemani & Ishya Cherukupalli
Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year for humans, but maybe not so much for the environment. Yearly festivities enjoyed by many during this time of the year can mark the impending calamity of the world. As we shop, gift, and eat our way through the holidays, let’s talk about the collateral damage we leave behind.
The first thing that is commonly connected with the holidays are the lights and decorations hung around the world. But, have you ever given a second thought to how these lights and decorations affect the planet? Lights are usually lit up for ten hours a day, which releases enough carbon emissions to fill up five party balloons. It is no secret that many use fake trees to “deck the halls,” and these are mostly made in Taiwan, South Korea, and other places around the world. Not only does this release carbon emissions while being shipped, but these trees are also non-biodegradable.
Let's talk about the classic Christmas dinner enjoyed by many around the world. Did you know that excess eating habits during this time cause the same carbon footprint as a car travelling 6,000 times around the globe? In order to get dinner onto the plates, our food goes on a world tour. Every year, our food travels over 150 million miles to reach tables around the globe. To transport this food, cargo ships, planes, and trucks are utilized. These vehicles use an abundance of fossil-fuels, as well as chemicals and plastic packaging to preserve food, all so that grocery stores can sell fresh produce. Every year, we are consuming more than 80% of food during Christmas than throughout the entire year. To be exact, 230,000 tonnes of Christmas treats and food are wasted every year.
The part most people look forward to when it's Christmas time are presents! Every year we make a wish list and give it to Santa, hoping that we get everything we asked for because we were good the entire year. Even though presents may make us happy and excited, it has some environmental downsides. Every year we buy presents, wrap them, put little bows on them, and write little name cards. By doing this, we use an approximate of 227,000 tonnes of wrapping paper. Every Kilogram of wrapping paper produced, emits about 3.5 Kilograms of Carbon Dioxide. So, imagine how big of a carbon footprint we are leaving behind by using an average of 227,000 tonnes of wrapping paper! Furthermore, most gifts are encased in plastic boxes of all kinds. When we throw out the plastic boxes, they slowly wind their way to the ocean. Every holiday season we are throwing out an approximate of 125,000 tonnes of plastic waste! This eventually creates toxic waste, and hurts the oceanic environment around it and releases greenhouse gases. So, next time let’s try not using wrapping paper, and help the environment!
Now, we are not saying to completely eliminate Christmas out of your life for the sake of the environment. There are multiple ways to enjoy the Christmas spirit while not damaging the planet during the process. Try reusing Christmas cards as tags for next year’s presents! On the same note, you can use standard printing paper instead of fancy wrapping paper to wrap your gifts so the paper can directly be recycled and not trashed. To avoid over buying food and gifts, make sure to make a list and stick to it while shopping (don’t get distracted by all that the shop has to offer!); not only will it help the environment, but it will also save money. Many online stores also sell ethical and sustainable gift; all it takes is a click of a button to be eco-friendly! By following these steps to have a green Christmas, you can help reduce eight kilograms of carbon emissions per individual! Merry green Christmas!
Sources:
The True Cost of Christmas:
https://commercialwaste.trade/the-true-cost-of-christmas/
The Dark Environmental Impacts of Our Christmas Season:
https://www.businessleader.co.uk/the-dark-environmental-impacts-of-our-christmas-season/57161
6 Reasons Christmas Is Bad for the Environment:
https://www.thespruce.com/reasons-i-hate-christmas-1708733