This month’s Lunch & Learn was all about making the holiday season more sustainable! Executive Director Kelli Hess presented in conjunction with her friend Jess Allred on everything from gifts to sustainable wrapping to food! “The holidays are a time of abundance, which also means that it can have a negative impact on our planet,” said Allred. Some staggering statistics:

• Americans generate 25% more waste around the holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Years Day). This is about 1 million extra tons per week!
• An average of about 30% of food is wasted on a daily basis, but this increases to 50% during the holiday season

When items (especially food), go to a landfill, it’s an anaerobic environment, meaning that there’s no oxygen present. Thus, when things start to break down, it creates methane, which is 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Luckily, there are some easy switches that can be done during the holidays. Both Allred and Hess stressed that what’s most important is PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION. Nobody is perfect, but the gift giving season is a nice way to incorporate small sustainability changes to your life.

FOOD

• think about the food’s packaging
• suggest guests bring their favorite leftover recipe for recipe exchange
• ask guest to bring own Tupperware and share leftovers
• could get compostable service ware from Missoula Compost and Soil Cycle does pickup

GIFTS

• think about experiences (like workshops, classes, membership)
• reuse (something from a thrift store)
• digital gifts (news outlet subscriptions)
• food or snacks
• donation to a cause you care about (e.g. Home ReSource)

STOCKING STUFFERS

• is it designed for the dump?
• if this got really gross/dirty, would you clean it or throw it away?
• think old school e.g. nuts, baked goods, print photos
• cold hard cash

ZERO WASTE WRAPPING

• use cloth, reusable wrapping paper, pretty tins or multiuse boxes
• natural materials like brown paper or jute
• wrapping paper that’s glittery or foil is NOT recyclable!

TREES

• harvest locally and compost it. Missoula has several tree depositories after the December holidays
• avoid purchasing NEW plastic trees. Many are available at thrift stores or Facebook Marketplace
• think alternatives, like a book tree or maybe a tree made out of lights

What are some zero waste tips you have for the holidays? Comment below! Thank you to MCAT for filming and to Wheat Montana for providing the lunch!