How To Have A More Sustainable Holiday

​A Greener Wish from Encor By EPCOR

Whether your tree and is up and you've been ready for weeks, or you're just getting down to business now – we have a challenge for you. How can you make your holiday celebrations more sustainable?

Paper waste, battery usage and energy consumption skyrocket over the holiday season. That means higher energy bills and a bigger carbon footprint. From energy efficient LED lights to reusable wrapping supplies, making small changes to your holiday routine can play a big part in protecting the environment (and reducing your monthly bill!)

​Want to join us with #greenergifting?

Bust out some pre-loved fabric items. Think scarves, a fun print on a shirt, tea towels, or even your own hand-painted fabric pieces, and repurpose them to wrap your gifts. You can even have the fabric be a part of your gift (i.e., baby onesies, scarves and bandanas).

Watch the video below to see #greenergifting in action! Then share your wrapping skills on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to help us spread the word word about #greenergifting. 
 

​More sustainable holiday ideas

Use a real tree

It's always a hot debate, but the results are in: an artificial tree would have to be reused for more than 20 years to be greener than buying a fresh-cut tree annually. Real trees can also be recycled as mulch or compost after use.

Use LED lights

Not only do LED bulbs last longer than incandescent ones, they also run cooler, minimizing the risk of accidental fires.

Wear warmer clothes inside

It's chilly outside, after all! Instead of turning up the heat to wear shorts indoors, keep your cozy sweaters on or curl up under a blanket to save on heating costs and conserve energy.

Make your own cards and ornaments

There are lots of ways to reuse old wrapping paper and greeting cards to create beautiful new card designs. Just avoid using glitter! It's notoriously hard to recycle.

Shop local

Support makers from across the province and shop locally this season. Have a shop you'd like us to share? Email us at encor@epcor.com.

Want our great tips and tricks delivered to you?

Enter your name and email below and you'll have all of our great energy saving tricks delivered to your inbox when they become available.