The holiday season is upon us!

Posted On: Nov 18, 09

As we ponder how to manage our upcoming festivities and gift giving Kokua Hawai’i Foundation, in partnership with Kanu Hawai’i, is asking all of us to consider simplifying the holidays.

From Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons - it all adds up to an additional one million tons a week to our landfills.
Let’s use this time of both great hope and great challenges to refocus on the season’s deeper values of joy, peace and ‘ohana by making holiday choices that support and nurture our homes, our communities, our planet - and family budgets, too!

Over the coming weeks we will be bringing you fun tips to make your holidays more meaningful. Click on our 12 Days to a Green Holiday and make a commitment to simplify your holiday season.

Trips to the Store

When shopping for holiday food and gifts, try to plan ahead and consolidate trips in order to save fuel and reduce pollution. If each family reduced holiday gasoline consumption by one gallon (about twenty miles), we’d reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one million tons. That could be one or two trips to the store!
Also, don’t forget to take along your reusable shopping bags to use instead of the disposable ones!

The world uses over 1.2 trillion plastic bags a year. That averages about 300 bags for each adult on the planet and over one million bags being used per minute.

A reusable bag can eliminate hundreds to thousands of disposable bags over its lifetime. Reusable bags also make great green gifts!

Simplify the Holidays with Recycled and Gently Used Gifts!

The average American spends $800 on gifts over the holiday season. According to a national survey, 70% of Americans would welcome less emphasis on gift giving and spending.

Gently used items are a great way to be kind to the earth and your wallet! Local thrift stores offer unique items, but if you don’t see what you are looking for, Craigslist and Freecycle have opened a world of opportunity when it comes to gently used items.

Give gifts of time like gift certificates for a massage or child care. Treat a loved one to ‘ukulele lessons, membership to Kokua Hawaii Foundation or tickets to a sporting or cultural event.
Or, try checking out your local library for used book sales which will help you find a great gift as well as support a great cause.

Recommended Simplify the Holidays Events

Sunset Beach Elementary School Annual Christmas Craft Fair
Saturday November 21, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunset Beach Elementary School Cafeteria Hand made crafts and food items from local artisans.

Simplify the Holidays Craft Parties
Hawai’i Island: Saturday, November 28 at 1:00 pm Holualoa, Hawai’i
O’ahu: Saturday, December 5 at 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Punahou School Luke Center, Honolulu
Recycle old clothes into new stylish items and make reusable gift wrapping.
For details contact Nova Lee: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The 6th Annual Green Community Fair (formerly the Green Market Fair) Saturday, December 5, 10:00 am -2:00 pm
The Church of the Cross Roads, 1212 University Avenue, Honolulu
Find gifts made of recycled materials, gifts of service certificates, eco-friendly gifts, crafts for the kids, and greening demonstrations! www.thegreenhousehawaii.com

Clothes Swap at Guava Shop, 66-165 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa
Saturday, December 5, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Bring in gently used clothing items to swap. Each swappable item will be featured in the outside mini-store. You will be able to do a one for one swap in the mini-store.
For more info email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Happy Holidays from your friends at Kokua Hawai’i Foundation and Kanu Hawai’i!