CROSSVILLE —
The holidays are a time for giving, but did you know that up to 25 percent more waste is generated during this season than at any other time of the year?
Some say that Christmas gift-giving is for kids, but what are we teaching them? Help your children understand that every product manufactured comes from resources extracted from the Earth and that things don’t just disappear when the garbage is thrown away.
Have a zero or low waste holiday season without being a Grinch. Here are some tips on how to enjoy the holiday season and avoid lots of waste:
Don't Give Stuff; Give an Experience — tickets to the Cumberland County Playhouse, movie or sporting event; restaurant gift certificates, a coupon book offering your own services (babysitting, birthday cake or help with spring-cleaning); a charitable donation in the recipient’s name or membership in a nonprofit organization.
Don't Buy Gifts, Make Them – baked goods, scrapbooks, birdhouses, pillow cases are easy to make if you have the skills. What could you make using your skills?
Wrap with Reusable Materials — Decorate an old box; make the wrapping part of the gift by personalizing it; reuse wrapping paper or gift bags from last year; wrap gifts in colorful squares of old fabric.
Make Gift Wrap, Cards and Gift Tags — Grandparents love gift wrap that has pictures drawn by their grandchildren. Have your kids design wrapping paper using brown paper bags and crayons. Use old gift wrap and other materials to make tags, cards and envelopes.
Decorate for the Environment — Look for a real tree that you can transplant after the holidays; use a timer to turn off lights at the end of the evening; use decorations that will last for many years; decorate with potted plants that will bring enjoyment after the holidays; decorate with pine cones, or holly branches you collect outside; and garland using popcorn and berries that you can later share with the birds.
Tips for Greener Entertaining — Make your parties zero or low-waste events. Use reusable plates, cutlery, etc.; use cloth napkins instead of paper, give leftover food to a charity, compost food scraps.
Phone or E-mail Holiday Greetings and Wishes — Call or e-mail invitations to party guests instead of sending paper invitations. Make your own cards on your computer and send them by email.
Reduce Mailing Waste — Mailing gift certificates or tickets will save on packaging and postage.
Give Gifts that promote Environmental Responsibility — Buy locally made gifts from local merchants. This cuts down on the carbon emissions from shipping and keeps money in the local economy. Some ideas — backyard composter, reusable food containers, lunch bags, rechargeable batteries and/or a battery charger, donation to an environmental organization or charity, strip plugs to reduce phantom electricity use.
Remember to take your reusable bags every time you go shopping.
Shop Smart — plan in advance to avoid impulse buys; avoid purchasing over-packaged goods, avoid single-use items or gifts with a limited life span, cheaply made gifts, non-recyclable and non-reusable items, trendy gifts will lose interest in a short time, gifts that cannot be repaired easily if damage.
Recycle As Much As Possible — You can recycle the following items: gift boxes, paper bags, wrapping paper (not foil-type), cardboard, paper gift tags, greeting cards and envelopes. Do not recycle foil-type wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbon, and photo greeting cards.
Trimming our waste during the holidays generates a host of benefits from saving money and alleviating stress to conserving scarce landfill space and reducing greenhouse gases. But don’t stop when the holiday season is over. Keep the zero waste spirit year round.
Lifestyles
Giving Back: Give the Earth this Christmas
- Lifestyles
-
-
CCHS Class of 1963 congratulates Class of 2013
-
Putt for the Cure miniature golf tournament a success
Kids of all ages enjoyed a fun outing of miniature golf Saturday at the first Putt for the Cure event, presented by Dr. Calley Jo Elsea of Cloudland Dental, to benefit the Upper Cumberland affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Players teams up with sponsors and host Pirates Plateau Golf Adventure to raise funds to help area women get needed screening exams, support patients and survivors, educate the public and support national research initiatives.
-
Around the Town: Attendance is the Key to success in Cumberland County!
High school attendance is up and 10 cars have been given away. This is all thanks to some forward thinking educators along with Dave and Connie Kirk and the staff at Dave Kirk Automotive. This year marks the 10th anniversary, or a decade, of what the high school students call "Dave Kirk Drawing Day." Or, in layman's terms, some junior or senior from Cumberland County High School, Stone Memorial High School or Phoenix School wins a brand spanking new vehicle.
-
End of another great year for Neighbors and Newcomers
Referred to as the "best little club on the mountain," Neighbors and Newcomers will be holding its last meeting of the year May 23. After a fun-filled, interesting and exciting year, the group will enjoy this end-of-the-year lunch at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds.
-
Seniors to visit Sutton General Store May 18
On May 10, the members of the 127 Senior Center had a good time socializing, playing bingo, dominos and billiards. Numbers were called by Arlene Simmons, with the prizes furnished by Bob Folger, with State Farm Insurance.
-
Marriage licenses
Published May 15, 2013.
-
Pow-wow set for May 18-19
Everyone is invited to come attend the educational and cultural event, Pow-Wow on the Plateau "Honoring All Survivors" on May 18 and 19 at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds. There will be many Indian tribes and dance styles represented. Bert Cox will be the master of ceremonies.
-
PLEASANT HILL RAMBLINGS: Therapy gym opens at Uplands
Functional Pathways, Inc. is the Uplands Village therapy provider for physical, occupational and speech therapy. A new therapy gym has been established in the renovated Apartment 4 at 23 Heritage Loop next door to the new home health care office and respite rooms. The Village and Fletcher residents will receive their therapy in the gym. Wharton Homes residents will have therapy in the Wharton therapy rooms.
-
FAIR PARK: Crossville’s Got Talent is this Friday
Crossville really has so much talent in this area. Some is home grown, and others have decided to enjoy retiring in the county. The Fair Park Senior Center recently held auditions for the third annual Crossville’s Got Talent Show, and everyone who tried out did a great job, but the show is very limited to only two hours. So not all the people who tried out got to be in the show.
-
PLATEAU GARDENING: Pruning pines
The time for spring pruning of pines is right now while new growth (commonly called "candles") is still pale green and flexible. Waiting until later in the season or using tools like hand-held or long-handled pruners doesn’t give good results.
- More Lifestyles Headlines
-
Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey
Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest
'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy?
Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
