Happy Sustainable Holidays 2014
Daita Serghi
It’s easy to forget the environment during this season, but a more sustainable festive celebration may not be as difficult as you think.
Let us know how YOU green your holidays by posting on our Facebook Page. Every year we take your suggestions and grow the list of recommendations with tried-and-true advice from our members.
See below for 2014 recommendations1) Services instead of goods: gifts of service require little or no use of natural resources, and are very personal and memorable. The gift of You - your time, energy or expertise are as 'giftworthy' as anything you can put in a box.
Our tips: massage, music lessons, surfing lessons, childcare, car wash, dogwalk, tutoring, cooking, gardening, a book of coupons for household chores, etc2) Experiences to enjoy and remember: giving the gift of an experience can bring fun, learning and memories that hold value for years.
Our tips: tickets to shows, concerts, sports events or local attractions; museums, aquarium or zoo memberships; a donation to their favorite non-profit.
Plant a koa legacy tree on Hawaii Island through Legacytrees.org and offer a gift that is sustainable, local, generates natural resources and is memorable and holds value for years.3) Buy local: everything from Christmas trees, to decorations and gifts can be bought right here supporting your community and local economy. Shop for agriculture based value-added producer products such as jellies, honey, roasted coffee, chocolate and fresh, local produce. Make sure these products are crafted and packaged in the state of Hawaii.
Our tips: Helemano Farm (locally grown Norfolk and Leyland Cypress trees; new trees grow from each stump). Manoa Chocolate (a bean-to-bar artisan chocolate company on Oahu passionate about crafting quality chocolate while striving to produce zero waste). Give the gift of a Pono Home (a local business which can help make your home healthier while also cutting your monthly losses on your utility bills with personalized, in-home assessment). OahuFresh, a local produce delivery service, has the option of purchasing a subscription for a friend. The Think Local, Buy Local campaign on Hawaii Island has a directory of locally-made products and where to buy them.4) Give away or Buy at second-hand stores: consider doing a major cleaning before the holidays and donate/sell things you no longer need either online or at brick-and-mortar stores. This is also a way of recirculating things that we no longer need through the economy.
Our tips: there are a number of different second-hand stores and donation opportunities. Craigslist.com or Freecycle.org are some online options.5) Choose sustainable: choose products that are non-toxic, renewable, biodegradable or recyclable
Our tips: use a guide to find socially and environmentally conscious brands and their products: http://www.betterworldshopper.com or http://www.goodguide.com. If you are in Kauai, check out Malama Kauai’s Green Map .6) Embrace homemade: weather you make your own ornaments by reusing and recycling or create some unique gifts, homemade is heartfelt. Your time, energy, and creativity, are probably more valued as that store-bought gift which they may not really even need.
Our tips: Use items that are not recyclable by Opala to create decorations: plastics #3-#7 can be cut into tree ornaments; cereal boxes and other cardboard can be used to package gifts; tin/steel food cans can be punched with designs and used as luminaries; ceramics, dishes, glassware, mirrors can be made into decorations.
Do your kids come home with tons of school- and artwork? Reuse them as wrapping paper. Family and friends will appreciate the personal touch.
Instead of exchanging new gifts, how about organizing a clothing swap and donate any unclaimed items to charity.7) Give Back: express the true meaning of the Holidays by giving back to the community. For a comprehensive list of local organizations, check page 28 of this document.
8) Clean Up: a sustainable holiday is not complete unless waste is disposed of properly. Recycle your gift boxes, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons when possible and don’t forget to donate any items you have outgrown.
Remember to reduce, reuse and rejoice!Don't forget to post your ways of greening the holidays on our Facebook Page!
And if you would like to give SAH a gift, here is what’s on our wish list: connect and communicate with us! Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, or email us. We want to hear from you!
If you are considering making tax-deductible contributions this season, don’t forget to register or renew your SAH membership or make a donation.
We look forward to collaborating with you in 2015 to grow the thriving local economy for Hawaii!Hau'oli Makahiki Hou from SAH!
This message was sent to dse...@gmail.com by busi...@sahawaii.org 
PO BOX 22963, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96823
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