The Green Glance | Alternative gifts encourage greener holiday

Nathan Zucker Columnist

The day after Thanksgiving, commonly known as Black Friday, marks the beginning of the holiday season in the United States. In reality, this time of year might be better labeled as the consumerist season. According to a Nov. 23 CNN.com article, American shoppers spend approximately $20 billion on Black Friday alone.

Such excess may bring to mind happy families, gift-laden Christmas trees and joyous celebrations. However, there is a darker side to the unbridled consumption embraced by Americans during this season. All of our shopping takes a huge toll on the environment, as the clothing and Christmas trees we purchase are far from sustainable.

Fortunately, the rise of green gifts presents an alternative to the materialistic mentality that usually characterizes the holidays. By giving ecologically-sound gifts, we can show our generosity to our families, friends and Earth.

Without a doubt, clothing will be the most common gift this holiday season, as it has been in years past. Given that apparel prices have dropped approximately 25 percent since 1992, clothing certainly makes for a practical, relatively inexpensive gift. Unfortunately, textiles put an enormous strain on the environment due to their manufacturing and disposal.

The production of synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and polyester, consumes large amounts of petroleum and emits greenhouse gases, toxic organic solvents and dangerous heavy metals. Wool and leather are no better, for both materials are associated with the use of poisonous chemicals that find their way into the ecosystem.

Cotton, which is by far the most common fabric, is perhaps the worst for the environment. Although it is grown on less than two percent of all American farmland, its production is responsible for a full quarter of all the pesticides used in the United States.

Moreover, the disposal of old clothing increases the burden placed on the Earth. Few fabrics are recycled, meaning that 10 million tons of old clothes end up in landfills each year. From start to finish, clothing is simply an ecological disaster.

Of course, giving clothing is not the only ecologically troublesome part of the holiday tradition. Christmas trees and holiday cards can also have negative environmental effects. According to the Nov. 25 New York Times article “Jolly and Green, with an Agenda,” Christmas trees are often treated with up to 40 toxic pesticides, as well as coloring agents. The 2.6 billion holiday cards Americans purchase per year would be enough to fill a landfill with the dimensions of a football field 10 stories high. Even worse, many of the cards and trees are not recycled, compounding their ecological impact.

Luckily, it is possible to enjoy the holidays without harming the Earth. For those who would still like to purchase clothes for their family and friends, sustainable options are available. Fabrics made of organic cotton or lyocell, a wood-based fiber, are much better for the environment than conventionally produced cotton or traditional synthetics such as rayon and polyester.

Although sustainably produced clothes are typically much more expensive, their reduced burden on the environment makes them worthwhile.

The best option is to forego traditional gifts and embrace a new type of giving. Oxfam, a coalition of organizations devoted to fighting poverty and working toward social justice, sells a variety of non-conventional gifts. These include planting trees, growing a quinoa crop and irrigating a farmer’s land for two months. According to the Times article, many Americans are also giving carbon offsets as holiday gifts, using organizations such as TerraPass to reduce their impact on global warming.

In the end, the holiday season is about loving one’s family and friends and spending time together. Unfortunately, modern American culture has indelibly linked the season of joy and generosity into a frenzy of consumerism. A return to simplicity, such as a meal with loved ones, might be a better way to celebrate than purchasing boxes and boxes of clothing, toys and technology. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to throw a few carbon offsets under the Christmas tree this year.

Nathan Zucker ’10, a Latin American Studies major, is writing about environmental issues that affect both the Vassar community and the world at large.