Alexa Kielty: Have a "Green" Holiday Season (SF Dept. of Environment)

The holidays are the time of year when folks spend quality time with their families, take time off work, eat good food, and consume mass quantities of natural resources. But you can make a difference by buying "green" - regardless of how you feel about the recent election, you'll get a chance to help the environment this holiday season by voting with your wallet. 

When you purchase consumer products you are consuming part of the planet's resources.  But when you buy locally produced products you save resources because less petroleum is used in shipping the product to market. Useful "green" gifts, such as organic cotton bedding or recycled plastic fleeces, hemp clothing, solar panels or a battery charger, will be appreciated by both your loved ones and the planet. For more eco-groovy ideas, check out the website at www.greenhome.com.

Think about the four R's when selecting gifts this season:  Reduce, reuse, recycle and rot.

Reduce
The fewer material objects we buy, the fewer natural resources we use to manufacture them. And that means we leave more for future generations.

Instead of resource-intensive gifts like computers, diamond bracelets or mahogany furniture, consider giving an earth-friendly experience. A massage, horseback rides, dance lessons or a museum visit make great gifts because they create memories - and they'll never end up in the landfill. 

For the person who has everything, consider making a donation to a favorite charity.  And cash is always welcome, especially for young adults starting out on their own. 

Reuse
Rather than getting something new, it's better for the planet if you keep using what you've already got. 

Take plastic bags. They can be used over and over again so bring them with you when you shop. Or purchase an inexpensive canvas bag that you can also use to carry books, groceries or dry cleaning. If you get to a store and realize that you forgot to bring a bag, ask for a large bag that can be used for all your purchases.

Reuse boxes, bows and wrapping paper and instead of serving your holiday guests on disposable dinnerware, use reusable dinnerware and flatware. It is better to use washable napkins instead of paper.

Recycle
Recycled products make great gifts. Lamps made out of recycled chopsticks and handbags or wallets made from old tires are practical gifts that help support the growing market for recycled products. 

When sending holiday greetings, use cards or stationary made from 100 percent post-consumer waste. And make sure you use last year's leftover cards or swap them with a friend.  

Rot
Put holiday kitchen scraps in your green cart. That includes food-soiled paper, meat, bones, landscape debris, tired floral arrangements and leftover casserole. If you live in an apartment and do not have a green cart, please coordinate with your property manager to get one at no additional cost from either Sunset Scavenger 330-1300 or Golden Gate Disposal 626-4000.

Composting is a great way to give back to the Earth. The organic material picked up in the green cart is made into certified organic compost, which is sold to nurseries, landscapers and vineyards to replenish soil nutrients.

Christmas Tree Recycling
After Christmas, you can put your tree out on the curb on your regular recycling day between Jan. 3 - 7.  Set your tree on the curb with no decorations, bags or non-wooden stands. Please cut the tree in half. Your tree will be recycled into mulch, compost or turned into high-efficiency fuel for power plants. (Please, no tinseled or flocked trees.) 

San Francisco residents can also take cleaned trees to the Golden Gate Disposal and Recycling Company, 900 Seventh St., Dec. 26 - Jan. 14, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., every day; and SF Recycling and Disposal, 501 Tunnel Ave.,  Dec. 26 - Jan. 31, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; and Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council Recycling Center, 780 Frederick St., Dec. 26 - Jan. 14, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., every day.

Alexa Kielty works with the SF Department  of the Environment.