A week before people all over Birmingham – and the country – begin to lay waste to their waistlines with indulgent Thanksgiving feasts, and eight days before many ravage their credit cards in search of Black Friday bargains, comes a day to pause and reflect on not consuming so conspicuously.
Today, Thursday November 21, is Use Less Stuff Day. Didn’t know? Most people probably don’t. This is actually the eighth annual Use Less Stuff Day, according to the Use Less Stuff website.
Organizers like ULS Day founder Robert Lilienfeld have a simple goal: to make American consumers think about what they’re doing.
“Are you a waste-wise warrior or merely a waste-wise wannabe?” Lilienfeld asks on the ULS.com site. “Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week. So, to help trim the trash while trimming the tree, The ULS Report offers a challenging checklist of simple things you can do to reduce waste while you eat, drink and make merry this holiday season.”
The list is below. But in the meantime, ULS Day does provide food for thought: What if we did use less stuff? The experts said it would be good for our environment and our peace of mind.
Alabama Environmental Council Executive Director Michael Churchman says that even though recycling is essential, there’s more to being environmentally conscious. “Elementary kids are taught the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle,” he said. “But recycling is only one step of the process. This Use Less Stuff Day [idea] is a big part of that. Hopefully people are reducing the amount of waste that they produce anyway.
“And it does have significant environmental impact. For instance, it’s great to recycle a plastic bottle. But if you reduce the amount of waste and get a two liter bottle instead of a six pack of smaller bottles, you’ve both reduced waste and recycling materials, and hopefully that’s having a net benefit, or at least it’s not taking away,” Churchman said.
“The bigger component though, and one that we do talk about a lot in reducing, is that we are consuming a huge amount of resources — way more than our planet can provide, long-term into the future. And our organization is about promoting sustainable living and stewardship of the environment. … Sustainability essentially is utilizing or accessing resources in such a way that it won’t have a negative impact on the future. So we unfortunately are teaching our American consumerist lifestyle on the rest of the world, and as the world develops and models after us, then that’s going to have an even greater negative impact on the planet.
“There are a lot of places where things have advanced that we can learn from in that we can all make a difference. Small changes, but using less is a good mantra and lot of people apply that in a lot of different ways.”
In some ways, many people are already adopting the idea of using less stuff, said AEC Recycling Coordinator Alan Gurganus. “The most common these days is reusable grocery bags. That’s one that seems to have really taken a hold,” he said. Another practice more people are utilizing involves using refillable bottles. “That’s using even less stuff. Carpooling, for [another] example. Commute Smart has a great program for encouraging people to carpool and use less fuel to get to work.”
While recycling is gaining in popularity, however, Gurganus wishes for a campaign to get people to think about reducing the amount that they use in the first place. “There’s plenty of education on not littering. Lots of education on recycle this recycle that. But there isn’t much on reducing. As a result I think there are a number of studies out there that show that people who recycle actually consume more than people who don’t recycle, and I think that’s a direct result of not having enough education on the first two Rs: reduce and reuse.”
He pointed out the wisdom of doing what many a bill-paying dad has been saying all along – turn off the lights when you leave the room, don’t waste water and don’t air condition the whole neighborhood. In other words, watch your consumption of energy and natural resources.
“There are some things you do that have a dramatic impact every single time you do them. For instance, if you change a traditional light bulb now to an LED light bulb, which are coming on the scene, every time you turn it on – whether you turn it off or not, it’s using so much less electricity.”
And, Churchman said, sometimes consuming less may mean spending less. For example, if instead of paying for a durable, high quality product, you buy a cheap product that breaks, it may end up in a landfill sooner and you may end up having to buy a replacement – wasting both money and material.
The AEC spokesmen suggested that individuals need to look at waste the way businesses have begun to; that is, the more efficient the process, the less waste, the less waste, the more money saved. While some of the changes come about because of regulation, the end result is saving for the business or the consumer. Better fuel efficiency in cars, for instance, will provide out-of-pocket cost savings for drivers, they noted.
“There are just a lot of things that have environmental impacts, but they also have economic impacts, just quality of life impacts,” Churchman said, noting, anecdotally, that people who use less stuff seem to be happier than those who waste more. “I think of friends who just don’t accumulate much stuff – they don’t seem as worried about accumulating so much stuff – they seem to have a happy demeanor because they’re just not worried about that as much.”
Gurganus offered a personal example of how it feels good to waste less. He said his father, who grew up on a farm where folks learn to live with the things they have instead of popping down to the store for new items, taught him to live the same way.
“We have three generations in my home. Yet despite some of my neighbors only having one or two people in their house, we still considerably have less trash to put out on the curb every week. And we have twice-a-week trash pickup. But we put the can out once a week and it’s not even full. The lid closes and everything. To me, it feels good knowing that what I am having to throw away – it’s minimal.”
So there you have it: proof – unscientific, perhaps – that using less stuff feels good.
Resources
The Alabama Environmental Council has several resources on its website to help define the extent of the waste problem and even offer suggestions how to cut back on consumption. For instance:
–The recycling page shows why recycling is essential
–The energy section features 10 simple strategies for using less energy
–The Use Less Stuff page has a whole list of holiday-themed ideas for reducing consumption. The page organizes the ideas into a checklist called the ULS Yuletide Party Guide, but some of it could work beyond the season:
THE ULS YULETIDE PARTY GUIDE
‘Tis the season of parties and festivities, food and fun. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s we like nothing more than to eat, drink and be merry, so we need successful strategies to cut down on the waste we create from our amplified entertaining.
[]
Turn down the heat before the guests arrive. You’ll save energy while the extra body heat of your guests will warm up the room.
[]
For formal affairs, consider renting seldom worn party clothes or buying them from consignment shops.
[]
You can also rent dishes and glassware, making your party more elegant and eliminating the need to buy special holiday china.
[]
Walk to neighborhood parties, or carpool (with a designated driver!) with friends if it’s too far to walk.
[]
After the party, don’t throw away the leftovers! Put them in plastic containers or bags and send them home with guests, or donate to food banks.
[]
Plan meals wisely and practice portion control to minimize waste in the first place:
FOOD/DRINK
PORTION PER PERSON
Eggnog
1/2 cup
Turkey
12-14 pounds (up to 10 people)
Stuffing
1/4 pound
Sweet Potato Casserole
1/4 pound
Green Beans
1/4 pound
Cranberry relish
3 tablespoons
Pumpkin Pie
1/8 of a 9″ pie
Did you know…at least 28 billion pounds of edible food are wasted each year – or over 100 pounds per person. Putting one less cookie on Santa’s plate will reduce his snacking by about 2 million pounds.
HOME SWEET HOME
There’s no place like home, especially during the holidays, so why spend so much time, energy, and money traveling when everything you need is right at home? Pretend you’re a tourist visiting your own town. Call the AAA, visit your Chamber of Commerce and visit the local government website. You’ll probably be amazed at the attractions you’ve taken for granted and never visited.
Also, by staying home you can:
[]
Reduce the amount of gas used during a heavy travel time.
[]
Help keep your local economy strong, making for a vital and thriving downtown – a key to reducing suburban sprawl and related problems of habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity.
Did you know…if each family reduced holiday gasoline consumption by one gallon (about twenty miles), we’d reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one million tons?
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION
[]
Get outdoor light strands that are wired in parallel. These have separate circuitry so that if one bulb blows out the rest will keep shining; all you have to do is replace the bulb. Those strands sold with series wiring stand or fall together, making it almost impossible to find and replace a single blown-out bulb.
[]
Remember, the smaller the bulbs, the lower the wattage. Low wattage has two advantages: it consumes less energy and gives off less heat, making your lights safer.
[]
Bring your own camera instead of using disposable cameras to capture holiday memories.
[]
Faster film speeds, such as 400 or 800, reduce the use of flash and extend battery life.
Did you know…by purchasing rolls of 36 instead of 12 exposures, you’ll reduce waste by 67%, saving about $4, or 40% in cost?
LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE WALKING
[]
E-commerce is the wave of the future. But remember, e-commerce is not necessarily waste-free. Choose items that won’t be excessively packed for shipping.
For you Web-heads, try giving these a click:
www.ecomall.com
www.greenshopping.com
www.greenhotels.com
www.realgoods.com
[]
If you’re shopping by mail order catalogue, remember to cancel the ones you don’t need.
Did you know…in 1981 the average household received 59 mail order catalogues, and by 1991 the number had increased 140%, to 142?
Did you know…if each household canceled 10 mail-order catalogues it would reduce trash by 3.5 pounds per year? (If everybody did this, the stack of canceled catalogues would be 2,000 miles high!)
BYOB
[]
During the nation’s busiest shopping season, bring your own shopping bags. Paper, plastic and cloth are all good; the latter two can be folded easily into purses and pockets until used.
[]
Consolidate your purchases into one bag rather than getting a new bag at each store on your shopping rounds.
FUSS-FREE GIFT GIVING
[]
Plan your shopping in advance. Consolidating your shopping trips saves fuel (and aggravation), and you’ll avoid those last minute frenzies when you won’t have time to make careful gift choices.
[]
Rather than piling up “stuff” under the tree, think about what friends and family really want or need. Try giving gift certificates if you don’t know what someone wants, or simply make a donation in his or her name to a favorite charity.
[]
Give gifts that encourage others to use less stuff, like a book about making crafts from reusable items, cookbook for leftovers, reusable tote bags.
[]
Or simply set a good example by giving homemade food or something you’ve made yourself from reused items.
[]
For kids, start a savings account or give stocks or bonds. It’s fun to watch money grow and it teaches children the value of financial conservation.
[]
Shop for gifts at antique stores, estate sales or flea markets, since one person’s trash is another’s treasure.
[]
Donate unwanted gifts, along with last year’s gifts that the kids have outgrown, to charity.
KID STUFF
[]
When buying electronic toys and other portable items that are used regularly, remember to buy rechargeable batteries to go with them.
[]
Instead of wrapping gifts for the kids, hide the presents, plant clues to where they’re hidden and make the kids’ search into a treasure hunt.
[]
Get the kids to make their own tree ornaments out of things you already have around the house, or from materials they might find in the backyard: twigs, bark, flowers and herbs, pine cones, etc.
[]
Old clothes and jewelry make a great dress-up box for kids.
[]
Tools and gadgets make a great idea box for a young inventor.
CARD SENSE
Our mailboxes burst this season with membership offerings and fundraising appeals, presents, gift catalogues and cards. What to do …
[]
Send e-greetings to family, friends and business associates who are on-line. (Try The Electric Postcard.)
[]
Save yourself time, money, and hard feelings between friends – and reduce mail volume – by updating and paring down your holiday mailing list.
[]
Be creative. Instead of buying placemats or table decorations, make your own. Cut old cards into shapes and press between two pieces of clear contact paper.
Did you know…the 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year n the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high? If we each sent one card less, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.
SHOP RIGHT…AND SHIP LIGHT
[]
When buying gifts you will send by mail, pick items that are easy to ship and won’t require excess packaging.
[]
Reuse packing cartons and shipping materials such as peanuts, wood shavings, shredded newspaper and bubble wrap.
[]
Drop off extra packing peanuts at local private mailing centers. Call the Plastic Loosefill Council’s Peanut Hotline at 1-800-828-2214 for the names of local businesses that reuse them. (Stores often offer discounts for returning packing materials like cartons and boxes.)
WRAP IT UP
[]
Or better yet, think of gifts that don’t have to be wrapped at all: tickets to concerts, museums, or sporting events, gift certificates, house plants, or even gifts of your own time.
[]
When giving oversized gifts like bicycles or CD racks, instead of wrapping them in paper, just tie a bow around them.
[]
Wrap gifts in old maps, newspapers, Sunday comics or fancy holiday gift bags. Kids’ art work is a perfect wrapping for presents to proud grandparents.
[]
Use brown paper grocery bags to wrap small-to-medium size boxes that have to be mailed.
[]
Make the wrap a part of the gift: Putting cookies in a flower pot or hiding jewelry in a new pair of gloves will keep your gift under wraps and the “wrapping” out of the trash.
Did you know…if every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet?
CHOOSE TO REUSE
[]
Get a tree that can be planted or mulched afterward, or buy an artificial one.
[]
Compost your food waste. Fruits and vegetables and their peels, pits and seeds are all perfect for composting – a great natural fertilizer.
The featured image for this post, by David Blackwell, is courtesy of Flickr Commons.