As explained by Christine Mason, the festive tradition of gift-giving does not need to produce excess waste, whether it be from mountains of plastic wrapping paper or from unwanted gifts.

Mason offers many alternatives that don’t produce as much waste, centering her focus on time spent instead of money, and emphasizes attention in a gift on the subject the present is going to. She suggests sharing time, such as showing a loved one a passion and cherishing the time with them, rather than a material object. Experiences, such as tickets to a museum, concert, or play, can also brighten someone’s holiday in anticipation for the event. She also mentions acts of service as a gift; doing an act for the person in question. Her example was installing an irrigation system for a garden, but it could also be spending time on a piece of art or something made personally for them. This shows extreme care and dedication, a sincere and authentic gift that is perfectly customizable.

However, material items can still make sustainable gifts. More conscious products can be quite easily by shopping locally, along with checking certification by the Organic Trade Association. Mason urges shoppers to search for brands that are making an effort to contribute to a climate-favored shift.

Additionally, Mason reminds the audience not only to carpool as much as possible, but also to consider purchasing carbon offsets when flights are a necessity.

It is always possible to make choices that are more eco-friendly, no matter what aspect of life it belongs to. Even the individual has the responsibility of decreasing waste, and often it is easier than expected.

I can’t believe I missed a day. Tragic! I didn’t expect to at all, but I’ve had a hectic week with a choir concert, a party I threw, and finals tomorrow and Wednesday. It completely slipped my mind, which is frustrating because how consistent I’ve been. I know it’s only a day late, but I’m still disappointed that it’s not a perfect streak. I guess I have to set a reminder every week to post the Synopsis.

Anyway, continuing on the holiday streak! While I agree, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, I would not be surprised if it were the most wasteful time as well. I don’t know if next week will continue on this trend, but stay tuned to learn with me!

“Eco-nomical: A Zero-Waste Holiday.” Weekend Edition Saturday, 13 Dec. 2008. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A190504041/OVIC?u=ante588&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=86ec5cae. Accessed 20 Dec. 2022.