Bayscape Blog 12/14/2010
Give Everyone a Priceless Gift this Year
By Judy DeFiglio
How’s that Christmas shopping going? Tired of fighting the mobs at the mall? Tired of having to wrap all the presents you bought and probably spent too much for? (Not to mention, the cost wrapping paper and the environmental impact of all that wrapping paper headed to the landfills on the day after Christmas.) Money is tight this year for many. The world has sustained many environmental nightmares recently. Maybe it’s time to rethink Christmas giving. Wait. Don’t call me Scrooge just yet. I’m all about giving at the holidays. Matter of fact, I think with a little planning, we can give a priceless gift to everyone .
The Priceless Gift List and Environmentally Friendly Tips:
· Give the gift of a beautiful garden. Take divisions, cutting or collect seeds to give to gardeners on your list. If you’ve already put your garden to bed, wrap up a picture of the plant with a promise to give it to them in the spring. It’s free but shows you care.
· Introduce your family and friends to the native plants. Purchase a native plant or gift certificate from a mail order nursery. They will ship plants at the appropriate time. Give a book on native plants.
· Plant a tree in the gift recipient’s name, or donate to an environmental organization in their name.
· Join the Littoral Society. Share this blog. Sign a shore stewards pledge and promise to garden responsibly and protect our waterways.
· If you feel it’s not a present unless it’s wrapped, get creative. Do a nature theme. Reuse your brown shopping bags to wrap gifts. Gather berries, pinecones, and sprigs of greens to decorate the boxes. Use biodegradable twine instead of ribbon. Or make it a family project, using food color, stamp designs on the brown paper. Your gifts will look beautiful and unique.
· Promise to be a more responsible gardener next year, increasing the number of native plants in your landscape and decreasing the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
· Start a compost pile.
· If the mall is still your thing, plan your shopping in advance. Make fewer trips and group your errands to save fuel and reduce emissions.
The whole world will thank you for this priceless gift of saving our environment.
Give Everyone a Priceless Gift this Year
By Judy DeFiglio
How’s that Christmas shopping going? Tired of fighting the mobs at the mall? Tired of having to wrap all the presents you bought and probably spent too much for? (Not to mention, the cost wrapping paper and the environmental impact of all that wrapping paper headed to the landfills on the day after Christmas.) Money is tight this year for many. The world has sustained many environmental nightmares recently. Maybe it’s time to rethink Christmas giving. Wait. Don’t call me Scrooge just yet. I’m all about giving at the holidays. Matter of fact, I think with a little planning, we can give a priceless gift to everyone .
The Priceless Gift List and Environmentally Friendly Tips:
· Give the gift of a beautiful garden. Take divisions, cutting or collect seeds to give to gardeners on your list. If you’ve already put your garden to bed, wrap up a picture of the plant with a promise to give it to them in the spring. It’s free but shows you care.
· Introduce your family and friends to the native plants. Purchase a native plant or gift certificate from a mail order nursery. They will ship plants at the appropriate time. Give a book on native plants.
· Plant a tree in the gift recipient’s name, or donate to an environmental organization in their name.
· Join the Littoral Society. Share this blog. Sign a shore stewards pledge and promise to garden responsibly and protect our waterways.
· If you feel it’s not a present unless it’s wrapped, get creative. Do a nature theme. Reuse your brown shopping bags to wrap gifts. Gather berries, pinecones, and sprigs of greens to decorate the boxes. Use biodegradable twine instead of ribbon. Or make it a family project, using food color, stamp designs on the brown paper. Your gifts will look beautiful and unique.
· Promise to be a more responsible gardener next year, increasing the number of native plants in your landscape and decreasing the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
· Start a compost pile.
· If the mall is still your thing, plan your shopping in advance. Make fewer trips and group your errands to save fuel and reduce emissions.
The whole world will thank you for this priceless gift of saving our environment.
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