This holiday season, parents will flock to stores to buy all types of gifts for their children. We’ve all seen the videos of parents fighting over the hottest new figurine or doll. This year, shirk the plastic type toys and instead invest in some wooden toys.
Wooden toys were the first type of toys kids knew. Dads would whittle a piece of wood to create toys in the shapes of animals, wooden dolls, puppets on strings, and toy cars. Kids would play for hours with these toys. Once the kids outgrew them, they could be passed on to younger kids.
Wooden toys have not lost their luster or durability but they have been passed over for the more colorful plastic types that talk and move. When kids are young, the one thing they have is their imagination. Wooden toys inspire the use of the imagination during play.
Wooden toys are also environmentally friendly. Many are used in their natural wooden state. Paints used on eco friendly toys are non-toxic and safe for kids.
When other toys are broken or the kids get tired of them, they are thrown away. Each year something new will replace the old favorite and they will no longer like it as much. In a landfill, those toys just sit and take up space.
Lots of toys that are thrown away still have their batteries inside. Toys that are filled with substances still contain them when they are disposed of. These chemicals can be released into the ground as the housings break down. This poses a potential hazard.
When wooden toys are broken, they can be fixed. If you know someone good with their hands, they can fix it for you. The point is that you don’t have to throw them away. Wooden toys can be passed down from generation to generation.
They maintain their shape and if scratched, the imperfection can be sanded out. Wooden toys hold together better than modern toys created on an assembly line. Small parts that break off of new toys can choke a young child.
If wooden toys are old and no longer usable, they can be disposed of. Because they are made of natural wood, they can be chopped up and used in compost. Colored wooden toys can’t be used for that, but maybe they can be refurbished and donated to local charitable organizations.
Introduce kids to wooden toys when they are young. Puzzles come in wooden and paper shapes instead of plastic. Most wooden toys have rounded edges so they are safer to play with and handle. Even if they gnaw on wood it won’t hurt them.
Choose wooden toys for the young’uns. They are environmentally friendly, safe for young children, durable, and repairable if they are d
12.21.2009
Shop Responsibly this Holiday
For many, Christmas has become a commercial holiday. Instead of being a season of giving, we have bought into the media circus and it has become a season of greed and excess. This year tailor your shopping to be a bit more responsible in the items that you purchase.
Shopping responsibly doesn’t stop at spending frugally for what we need or want. It is also a matter of global implication. By that, we mean that we look at the people behind the products that we invest our monies into.
For example, let’s say that you wanted to buy a diamond ring for the wife this year. There are several jewelry stores in your area but which is the best one to use? One jewelry store may get their diamonds from a mine in South Africa that employs unsafe practices for workers or pays less than fair wages. By patronizing that store, you are condoning the practices by which they received their merchandise.
Who would have ever thought that buying and selling would come to such a level, but it has. People who do not value human rights are counting on us to let our wants overshadow any responsibility we have to our enslaved brothers or the environment. Eco friendly groups work to inform us about what is going on in the world and how we can make a positive difference.
The biggest way that can happen is through our shopping. We spend billions of dollars during the holiday season for gifts, decorations, and other things. Make the purchases mean something to someone besides just the recipient.
Shopping responsibly leads to helping the environment. Purchase recycled wrapping paper, low energy lighting for Christmas trees, organic cotton for creating clothing, and recycled ornaments and decorations. This supports the recycling industry. All paper that is recycled may not be suitable for paper bags in grocery stores, but it will make Christmas cards, gift tags, and wrapping paper.
Visiting fair trade merchants supports cooperatives and groups working in favor of oppressed and impoverished peoples in countries all over the world. These artisans use recycled goods and natural products like stone and coal to create ornaments, decorations, baskets, utensils, and more to be sold on the open market.
Fair trade merchandise can be purchased at a variety of stores including Wal-Mart, Target, Harris Teeter grocery stores, Whole Foods Market, and Costco. For a longer list of stores, go to www.transfairusa.org. Put in city and state or zip code to find merchants in your area who are fair trade certified.
Along those same lines, local merchants need your help and your patronage. Consider their wares when looking for unique gifts and decorations this year. Visit local farmers markets, flea markets, and trade shows to see who the local artisans are.
Save the planet and prevent waste but making informed choices this holiday season. In the process you will discover a world of new products you never knew existed.
Shopping responsibly doesn’t stop at spending frugally for what we need or want. It is also a matter of global implication. By that, we mean that we look at the people behind the products that we invest our monies into.
For example, let’s say that you wanted to buy a diamond ring for the wife this year. There are several jewelry stores in your area but which is the best one to use? One jewelry store may get their diamonds from a mine in South Africa that employs unsafe practices for workers or pays less than fair wages. By patronizing that store, you are condoning the practices by which they received their merchandise.
Who would have ever thought that buying and selling would come to such a level, but it has. People who do not value human rights are counting on us to let our wants overshadow any responsibility we have to our enslaved brothers or the environment. Eco friendly groups work to inform us about what is going on in the world and how we can make a positive difference.
The biggest way that can happen is through our shopping. We spend billions of dollars during the holiday season for gifts, decorations, and other things. Make the purchases mean something to someone besides just the recipient.
Shopping responsibly leads to helping the environment. Purchase recycled wrapping paper, low energy lighting for Christmas trees, organic cotton for creating clothing, and recycled ornaments and decorations. This supports the recycling industry. All paper that is recycled may not be suitable for paper bags in grocery stores, but it will make Christmas cards, gift tags, and wrapping paper.
Visiting fair trade merchants supports cooperatives and groups working in favor of oppressed and impoverished peoples in countries all over the world. These artisans use recycled goods and natural products like stone and coal to create ornaments, decorations, baskets, utensils, and more to be sold on the open market.
Fair trade merchandise can be purchased at a variety of stores including Wal-Mart, Target, Harris Teeter grocery stores, Whole Foods Market, and Costco. For a longer list of stores, go to www.transfairusa.org. Put in city and state or zip code to find merchants in your area who are fair trade certified.
Along those same lines, local merchants need your help and your patronage. Consider their wares when looking for unique gifts and decorations this year. Visit local farmers markets, flea markets, and trade shows to see who the local artisans are.
Save the planet and prevent waste but making informed choices this holiday season. In the process you will discover a world of new products you never knew existed.
Save Energy for the Holidays
What do I want this holiday season? A cheaper electric bill will do. During the holidays, we spend an enormous amount of energy decorating our homes, yards, and hosting family gatherings. Environmentally friendly groups want people to save some green this year by going green with their energy sources.
The number one thing that saps energy is the lights. We hang lights on our Christmas trees, in our living spaces, on the trees outside, and on our homes. The lights by themselves don’t give off much energy, but add several strings of lights and keep them on all evening, and you’ll have a problem.
Instead of purchasing the usual lights for decoration, think about using LED lights. LED stands for light emitting diode. These lights are controlled by computer chip technology. They do not emit any heat. This keeps the lights from being a fire hazard should they rest on a dried tree branch or a piece of paper.
LED lights also don’t use much energy. But, these are not the only lights that could be replaced. Think about the lights in your fixtures. Are they the regular tungsten filament light bulbs? These light bulbs use more energy and don’t last very long.
CFL bulbs are the talk of the town right now. They provide brighter light and use fewer kilowatts to do it. CFL stands for compact fluorescent light. You may have seen those coiled bulbs in the store. They are made to fit any light fixture. Replacing your regular bulbs with these ensures brighter lighting for the holiday parties.
Keeping the thermostat at a constant temperature saps less energy in the long run. Depending on what we are doing, we turn it up or down. This is a mistake because every change means more energy to meet the new temperature request.
If you live in a warm climate, try room darkening shades or using heavy curtains. This blocks the sun’s rays from getting trapped in your home and overheating the place. Also, installing ceiling fans helps to circulate the air in the room and save you money. Control the temperature by turning the fans on and off instead of tweaking the thermostat.
Also, using the oven can heat up a home considerably. Cooking during the evening when it is cooler avoids the uncomfortable sticky feeling that comes with cooking on a hot day. During the day, warm meals using the microwave. This keeps the temperature in the home from rising.
To see where you are losing heat from your home, have the power company come out and perform a free energy check. They will inspect the home and let you know how energy efficient it really is.
Looking to spend less this holiday season? Don’t forget to include energy bills in that equation. A few helpful energy-saving tips make all the difference.
The number one thing that saps energy is the lights. We hang lights on our Christmas trees, in our living spaces, on the trees outside, and on our homes. The lights by themselves don’t give off much energy, but add several strings of lights and keep them on all evening, and you’ll have a problem.
Instead of purchasing the usual lights for decoration, think about using LED lights. LED stands for light emitting diode. These lights are controlled by computer chip technology. They do not emit any heat. This keeps the lights from being a fire hazard should they rest on a dried tree branch or a piece of paper.
LED lights also don’t use much energy. But, these are not the only lights that could be replaced. Think about the lights in your fixtures. Are they the regular tungsten filament light bulbs? These light bulbs use more energy and don’t last very long.
CFL bulbs are the talk of the town right now. They provide brighter light and use fewer kilowatts to do it. CFL stands for compact fluorescent light. You may have seen those coiled bulbs in the store. They are made to fit any light fixture. Replacing your regular bulbs with these ensures brighter lighting for the holiday parties.
Keeping the thermostat at a constant temperature saps less energy in the long run. Depending on what we are doing, we turn it up or down. This is a mistake because every change means more energy to meet the new temperature request.
If you live in a warm climate, try room darkening shades or using heavy curtains. This blocks the sun’s rays from getting trapped in your home and overheating the place. Also, installing ceiling fans helps to circulate the air in the room and save you money. Control the temperature by turning the fans on and off instead of tweaking the thermostat.
Also, using the oven can heat up a home considerably. Cooking during the evening when it is cooler avoids the uncomfortable sticky feeling that comes with cooking on a hot day. During the day, warm meals using the microwave. This keeps the temperature in the home from rising.
To see where you are losing heat from your home, have the power company come out and perform a free energy check. They will inspect the home and let you know how energy efficient it really is.
Looking to spend less this holiday season? Don’t forget to include energy bills in that equation. A few helpful energy-saving tips make all the difference.
Recycled Christmas Decorations
We all want our homes to look nice for Christmas. But, we envision that the only way that we can do this is to buy new stuff each year. New items are not the only ones that shine and make an impression on visitors. Learn how you can create recycled decorations from things lying around the house.
There are a lot of items that can be reused for creative decorations. Think of your Christmas cards. We get them and after the holiday is over we threw them away. Instead of throwing them away, use them to make new decorations for the house.
Christmas cards can be used to create a collage. For a wooden coffee table, have a piece of glass cut to match the dimensions of the table top. Underneath the glass, place a piece of thin cardboard the same size and cover it with the fronts of various Christmas cards. Cover with the glass.
Old ornaments can be given a new look with some non-toxic paint and some string. The color comes off of bulbs all the time. Instead of throwing them away, come up with other ideas to save them like covering with ribbons, colored buttons, or sea shells. Save some from the summer at the beach. Color them with holiday paint and create ornaments, candle holders, and wreath accessories.
Local artisans use soda cans, bottles, and cardboard boxes to make ornaments for Christmas. Around the holidays, several local artisans will showcase their crafts at venues around your area. You’d be amazed at the wonderful things they can come up with from items most people have thrown away.
Even used light bulbs can be turned into ornaments. Cover a light bulb with a brown sock or stretchy material. Fashion ears out of felt and use felt pieces for eyes, nose, and mouth and you’ve got a reindeer ornament. Tie a string around the top to secure the brown fabric and make a second loop to hand the ornament on the tree.
Besides recycling items around the house and creating ornaments, try using decorations that are friendly to the environment. Collecting these items can start at any time during the year. Like we said before, sea shells provide a wealth of ideas for decorations. Scratched CDs can be turned into Christmas tree ornaments.
Collect pine cones, nuts, sand, and broken tree branches. The tree branches can be weaved together to form a natural wreath. Pieces of discarded wood from household projects can be fashioned into nativity scene figures, crosses, wooden angels, and toys by someone who is skilled in wood working. Websites like www.ctstore.com use recycled Christmas trees to create wooden ornaments.
Before you throw out what appears to be useless ornaments and Christmas cards, think about how they can be reused for another year of celebration. Get the kids involved and turn the quest for recycled materials into a treasure hunt through the house.
There are a lot of items that can be reused for creative decorations. Think of your Christmas cards. We get them and after the holiday is over we threw them away. Instead of throwing them away, use them to make new decorations for the house.
Christmas cards can be used to create a collage. For a wooden coffee table, have a piece of glass cut to match the dimensions of the table top. Underneath the glass, place a piece of thin cardboard the same size and cover it with the fronts of various Christmas cards. Cover with the glass.
Old ornaments can be given a new look with some non-toxic paint and some string. The color comes off of bulbs all the time. Instead of throwing them away, come up with other ideas to save them like covering with ribbons, colored buttons, or sea shells. Save some from the summer at the beach. Color them with holiday paint and create ornaments, candle holders, and wreath accessories.
Local artisans use soda cans, bottles, and cardboard boxes to make ornaments for Christmas. Around the holidays, several local artisans will showcase their crafts at venues around your area. You’d be amazed at the wonderful things they can come up with from items most people have thrown away.
Even used light bulbs can be turned into ornaments. Cover a light bulb with a brown sock or stretchy material. Fashion ears out of felt and use felt pieces for eyes, nose, and mouth and you’ve got a reindeer ornament. Tie a string around the top to secure the brown fabric and make a second loop to hand the ornament on the tree.
Besides recycling items around the house and creating ornaments, try using decorations that are friendly to the environment. Collecting these items can start at any time during the year. Like we said before, sea shells provide a wealth of ideas for decorations. Scratched CDs can be turned into Christmas tree ornaments.
Collect pine cones, nuts, sand, and broken tree branches. The tree branches can be weaved together to form a natural wreath. Pieces of discarded wood from household projects can be fashioned into nativity scene figures, crosses, wooden angels, and toys by someone who is skilled in wood working. Websites like www.ctstore.com use recycled Christmas trees to create wooden ornaments.
Before you throw out what appears to be useless ornaments and Christmas cards, think about how they can be reused for another year of celebration. Get the kids involved and turn the quest for recycled materials into a treasure hunt through the house.
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