 Make Your List and Check it Twice Written by: Eliza Letteney ‘Tis the season. Homes are trimmed with candles and boughs. While Chanukah is behind us, many are looking for Christmas and Kwanzaa gifts, hostess presents and “thank you” treats for teachers and others who have made the year brighter for our families. This year, instead of letting the shopping rush make you feel like a frenzied consumer, discover ways to shrink your ecological footprint and calmly prepare for remaining festivities. Here are a few tips for locating and wrapping gifts in a stress-free and sustainable way.
As seasonal shopping began in downtown Wellesley, a store associate at Beauty and Main noted an increasing number of people asking for natural products that are environmentally lower impact, adding that companies are also responding to the demand for products made without chemicals that are “paraben-free, dye-free, and scent-free.” Cashiers at Paper Source and Wellesley Books, both of which offer gifts made from natural or recycled materials, noted similar trends. And broader trends affirm what is happening here. The global consulting firm Accenture’s 2021 giving survey found that 58% want to support local and independent retailers. Additionally, 60% of respondents reported making more sustainable and ethical purchases, and 9 out of 10 of those said they planned to continue doing so this season. A survey by the research firm WeThrift found that nearly 40% of shoppers were likely to focus on eco-friendly products during this holiday season and over 60% claimed that they would likely use reused or recycled materials to box and wrap presents. If you’re interested in doing the same, reused paper, magazines, and newspapers are creative choices tied with some festive reused ribbon, raffia or yarn, and with a small pine branch or holly sprig tucked beneath the bow. Sustainable Wellesley shares easy steps to create beautiful - reusable- cloth gift wrapping here. Glass jars and other reusable containers can be festive with a bright gift tag and colorful twine. These sweet options yield a charming presentation without creating waste. No matter how you choose to celebrate, good luck and enjoy the holidays!  Fall is a great time to think about what you can do to make a difference in the urgent effort to address climate change. As you "ease" into fall schedules and, for those with kids, find yourself with a few extra hours now that school is back in session, consider signing up to volunteer with Sustainable Wellesley. Everyone is welcome. It's a great way to share a skill you have, build new ones, meet new people and do something that matters to you.
Our all-volunteer run, not-for-profit organization teams great people with a worthy mission to engage residents, businesses and the Town of Wellesley to take sustainable actions to protect our climate; reduce pollution of air, land and water; preserve biodiversity; minimize waste; and ensure environmental justice. We know some of topics/skills below are things that you know and/or care a-lot about. Plastics/waste Renewable Energy Plant Based Eating Environmental Justice Buildings Cars Gardening Marketing Writing Fund Raising Organizing Managing Event Coordination Photography Design Social Media Research shows that if you do something you feel better about the situation! Reach out at [email protected] and join our group of 6,000+ residents like you taking action! |
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