Dreaming of a Green Christmas

this month Webwatch gives God’s creation a present.

_{Heidi Griepp}

_This month, while many people are dreaming of a white Christmas, Webwatch is hoping for a green Christmas—one that celebrates Christ’s birth while taking care of God’s creation and cutting down on some of the materialism and waste that seems to engulf the holidays. Each year at least 1.9 billion Christmas cards (according to Hallmark. com) and 20.8 million Christmas trees (according the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service) are thrown out at the end of the season. Add to that the bags of torn-up wrapping paper, packaging, bows, and disposable decorations, as well as all the unwanted white elephant gifts, and Christmas dreams soon become a landfill nightmare.

This year, as you plan your celebrations, check out these sites for ideas on how you can cut down on the waste and make your Christmas a little greener.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6753079

forestry.about.com/od/christmastrees1/ht/living_x_tree.htm

www.realchristmas.com/2007/10/15/going-green-with-the-christmastree

Rather than cutting down trees and throwing them out once the holidays are over, a growing number of people have begun setting up live Christmas trees in their homes. These trees, which come in a burlap sack or pot and are purchased at a nursery or garden center, are then replanted outside once the holiday season is over. In a few cities, like Portland and Seattle, companies have even begun renting live trees.

If a live tree doesn’t fit your needs, why not find an environmentally friendly way to dispose of your real tree? Some stores and communities will take old Christmas trees and turn them into mulch, which can be used for your spring gardening. Look around in your area for creative options of disposal.

www.christmaslightsanddecorations. com/led-christmas-lights.aspx

www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentiD=5619

Are you one of those people who love Christmas lights and drape them all over your house, inside and out? Or maybe your church puts up a lighted nativity scene on the front lawn every year. If so, consider using energy saving Christmas lights this year. They last longer than regular lights (as long as ten years) and use less power, so you can save money while helping save the planet.

www.creationcare.org

In recent years, evangelical Christians have become more and more concerned about environmental issues. This website links to the evangelical environmental network and Creation Care magazine, which can help you learn more about biblical teaching on caring for the world we live in and how to put that teaching into practice.

www.buynothingday.co.uk/ www.adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/

This past November, people from sixty countries celebrated Buy Nothing Day, an annual twenty-four-hour break from shopping. As Adbusters.org explains: “Every November, for twenty-four hours, we remember that no one was born to shop.” While this year’s official Buy Nothing Day is already past, it’s never too late for your family or church to organize a similar event. There are many ways we can get distracted from the message and meaning of Christmas, and one of the biggest distractions is the pursuit of more stuff. So put your purse or wallet away and try a twenty-four-hour detox from consumerism.