The holidays are a cheerful time spent creating memories with friends and family. Unfortunately, they also happen to produce a lot of waste. From holiday decor to parties to gifting, it all comes with a lot of single-use products and packaging that is tough on our planet. In fact, Americans create 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Years than the rest of the year - that’s about 1 million extra tons each week.
With those numbers in mind, your ears might just perk up at the suggestion of waste-reduction techniques you can use this season. If we all do our part, we can make a big difference for the environment! Here’s how.
Easy Ways to Practice Waste Reduction This Holiday Season
1. Serve Food Responsibly With Palm Plates and Platters
So many of our holiday traditions revolve around food. Enjoying a meal with your family is a great way to bond and connect, but it can also be wasteful if you’re using styrofoam plates that will sit in a landfill for up to 500 years before they break down.
You can easily swap those plates for more eco-friendly palm plates and platters. These plates are compostable, biodegradable, non-toxic, and made from naturally fallen Areca palm leaves. They’re microwave and freezer safe. Plus, palm is a heavy-duty material, so it can handle any large holiday meal.
You can also opt for the Eco Bunny Party Pack, which provides 25 place settings, including plates, bowls, spoons, forks, knives, cups, and napkins. All of the items are made of birchwood or sugarcane, so all pieces are biodegradable and recyclable. Plus, it all comes in a cute carrying box so you can easily bring it to any party.
2. Share Leftovers the Smart Way
Leftovers are another reason we absolutely love the holidays, but sending everyone home with a styrofoam plate covered in plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag can be quite wasteful. Instead, you can practice waste reduction by sending loved ones home with food on palm plates. Just use one on the bottom to hold the food and another on top to cover it up, like a clam shell.
3. Give Hopping Holiday Treats
We love to make all kinds of holiday treats to hand out to friends and family: cookies, Christmas crunch popcorn, turtles… the list goes on. If you’re one of these talented cooks, be sure to give out treats without the usual plastic baggies. Instead, you can store and deliver treats in Bunny Bags - the biodegradable alternative to Ziploc bags. They’re cornstarch based, so they’ll naturally break down after use, unlike plastic. Plus, they’re waterproof, freezer safe, and work just like regular Ziploc bags.
4. Surprise Guests With Holiday Themed Drinks in Edible Cups
Spread the merry cheer this season with fun holiday-themed drinks. Rather than using plastic cups and straws, choose a more eco-friendly option for waste reduction. At Eco Bunny, we’re excited to launch our completely edible cups and straws this season! They’re organic, vegan, and, yes, edible. So, once your guests are done drinking, you can encourage them to take a little nibble with their own bunny teeth.
As you can see, waste reduction can be easy and even fun! Eco Bunny offers zero-waste, guilt-free products, like palm plates and platters, to make the transition to sustainable choices a bit easier. You might even get a little hop in your step! What will you try first?