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The Nature Conservancy in Virginia Virginia Home Contact Places We Protect News Room Field Trips and Events Volunteer Ways of Giving |
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Gifts from Nature
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TIP #1: Think Global, Eat Local
The pilgrims didn’t get their meal from the supermarket freezer case. Why should you?
Try a holiday feast with fresh local meats and produce. Virginia has many farms selling produce, dairy and meat. You can find local poultry at Backfence.com. Or shop at a farmers market for environmentally friendly fare that hasn’t been packaged or infused with preservatives for maximum shelf life.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Try not to purchase more food than you need; about a third of the food bought during the holidays ends up in the trash. If you do have leftovers, reheat them: You’ll use less energy than you would in cooking a new meal. And those holiday scraps are the perfect start for a compost bin.
TIP #2: Give a Gift That Actually Means Something.
Consider an “experience” gift: Gift certificates, tickets to an event, or an offer to help a friend clean out a closet don’t require any wrapping, and they definitely won’t end up in the garbage.
Give the gift of the great outdoors: Buy someone a pass to a place that connects them to the outdoors. Visiting Shenandoah National Park in the winter can be a magical experience. Buy someone an annual pass for $30 or outdoor package for $80. Plan a local green getaway with family or friends.
Buy something sustainable, organic and environmentally friendly: From fair-trade, bird-friendly coffee to organic flowers or local fruit, there’s something for everyone. Make a statement with your choice.
Give a gift of nature from The Nature Conservancy:
You can Adopt an Acre® to help save the rainforest in Costa Rica, Rescue the Reef® to protect coral reefs around the world and more! Check out The Nature Conservancy’s gift guide to find meaningful gifts for everyone on your list.
TIP #3: Cut Back on Car Trips
The additional traffic on the roads and in the air can be a nightmare not just for travelers, but also for the climate.
Plan your holiday errands in advance to minimize your time behind the wheel, and use public transportation whenever possible. Or avoid the malls altogether and shop online.
Offset: If you’re flying, consider purchasing carbon offsets along with your ticket to minimize the negative environmental effects of your trip. The Nature Conservancy provides an online carbon calculator to determine your impact.
TIP #4: To Tree or Not to Tree?
Many people wonder what’s better (or worse) for the environment: real or artificial trees. The truth is that both have their downsides. Artificial trees may be loaded with chemicals, shipped from China and “living” in landfills for many holidays to come. Real trees may be grown with pesticides on tree farms before being chopped down and trucked a long distance to your community.
Plant your tree: Though it’s hardly the same as chopping down the perfect pine, a potted or balled tree (be sure the roots are still attached) can be planted after the holiday, reducing your celebration’s carbon footprint. Or make a tradition of decorating one that lives in your backyard!
When in doubt, shop local — and recycle: If a fresh-cut tree is still your style, get it from a local tree farm. Many communities offer tree-recycling programs, turning this winter’s Christmas tree into next spring’s garden-boosting mulch. The Christmas Tree Farm Association of Virginia lists local tree farms.
Go natural: Cinnamon sticks, pine cones, and the classic popcorn or cranberry garland are also eco-friendly. Get your kids to help decorate. It’s less expensive and wasteful — and more fun — than buying all those trimmings at the store.
TIP #5: Deck the Halls with LED
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, rely on the same technology that illuminates calculators and watches to produce that holiday glow. Though they cost a bit more than traditional holiday lights, LEDs last much longer and consume a fraction of the energy, leading to greater savings for years to come.
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that if all conventional incandescent Christmas lights in the country were replaced with LED lights this season, annual energy savings would total 2 billion kilowatt-hours — enough energy to power nearly 200,000 homes for an entire year.
TIP #6: Wrapping It Up
Ever wonder how many trees had to die to create the mountains of wrapping paper left over after you exchange gifts? Wrapping paper is expensive and generates tons of extra trash. You can recycle the paper, or get even more creative.
Local young “artists”: All that artwork that your kids bring home can be put to excellent use during the holidays. Use it to wrap presents, or use brown paper bags that your kids can help decorate.
Holiday cards as gift tags: Instead of buying gift tags, use last year’s holiday cards. Cut them out in interesting shapes and sizes, and write your “to” and “from” on the flipside.
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Cheryl Rose (Winter ice covers tree branches in forest); Photo © Cheryl Rose (Ice encases a leaf trapped beneath the water's surface).
