Let’s face it-Christmas is a time of excess. We eat too much, we spend too much and, unfortunately, we use too many trees in order to send out Christmas cards. Yet the latter doesn’t have to be a constant if you implement the use of eco-friendly alternatives to the standard wasteful variety.

Christmas Cards That Grow On You

According to Wikipedia.org some 1.9 billion Christmas cards were mailed out in 2005. That’s a lot of dead trees and waste for a one-time-use greeting. When sending out your Christmas cards this year take a minute to evaluate those on your card list. Not everyone necessarily needs a physical card to know you’re thinking of them during Christmas. Personalized e-cards work great for co-workers and waste no paper whatsoever.

For those instances where an e-card just won’t cut it, such as with family or close friends, try sending a Christmas card that will warm their hearts and beautify their flower beds come summer. Seed paper cards are greeting cards created from 100% recycled paper which are imbedded with perennial flower seeds. The recipient can save the card and come spring simply plant the biodegradable card in ground. The seeds will germinate and grow lovely flowers for years to come. You’ll be happy knowing you reused paper that was recycled and your Christmas card recipient will have reduced the number of cards in landfills by planting their Christmas greeting. That’s the three “R’s” covered with one simple card!

Be Caring and Crafty with Homemade Christmas Cards

A huge trend in Christmas cards of late is the personalized touch of creating your own greeting cards. While the supplies to make your own holiday cards are abundant at any craft store the items offered don’t necessarily have the environment in mind. If crafting your own Christmas cards is a hobby you enjoy relax in knowing that you don’t have to give up this holiday pleasure-you just need to find eco-friendly materials to use.

Purchase blank cards and card stock made from recycled paper. Accessorize your cards with natural embellishments such as rustic strings, and dried flowers or fruits. Cut out holiday designs from decorative recycled paper and use these as decals on your handmade Christmas greetings.

Spread the Word

Taking care of the environment is everyone’s responsibility. Unfortunately with today’s hectic lifestyles being green often takes a backseat to our daily routine. When sending out your eco-friendly Christmas cards you can remind friends and family to put the Earth first by designing your own U.S. postage stamp with a pro-environmental message. Many online companies offer this service and designing your own stamp is easier than you might think.

This Christmas why not take the time to see how you can reduce the impact the festive season has on our planet? While being eco-friendly during the holidays does take some planning the rewards benefit us all. By using recyclable and reusable papers for your Christmas cards you send a message of holiday cheer and environmental responsibility at the same time.

We send sentiment to people in our lives that we care about. And Christmas is definitely a time were we want to connect and express our feelings to family and friends. It is important to let others know that we are thinking of them during the holidays. But should we send a paper card or an electronic one? Here are some pros and cons for each.

Paper cards

Paper greeting cards have been around for at least a hundred years. It is cheaper than a telephone call and people can choose to keep our sentiments if they wish. Christmas cards say what we would like to but can’t seem to put into words. The fun begins when we shop for the cards and choose just the right one for someone we care about.

In that regard, Christmas cards meet a need. Many companies are striving to be more environmentally friendly by using recycled paper for their cards. The argument against recycled paper is that it is not as strong as virgin wood pulp. That may be a consideration for paper grocery bags but for cards, the strength is in the wording not what they are printed on. Purchasing greeting cards on recycled paper supports the recycling industry as a viable alternative to plastic and other materials.

On the other hand, after the holidays, paper cards end up in the trash along with wrapping paper and other items. Some people recycle but most throw everything away in the regular trash to get rid of it. This paper goes to the landfill and stays their indefinitely.

Yes, paper is made from trees and trees are organic and therefore biodegradable. Unfortunately, in a landfill, the conditions are not appropriate for that kind of biodegradation to occur. Paper hands around as long as plastic in a landfill.

E-cards

The electronic card is the greatest innovation. It helps out those of us who forget to send out paper greeting cards in a timely fashion. An electronic card can be sent on December 23rd and arrive on the twenty-fourth. They make noise, show interactive scenes and can be personalized to say whatever we want.

Online, people get to choose from free card offerings or pay for more detailed cards for Christmas or the service to be able to send cards at any time and for any occasion. E-cards can be saved on the computer and viewed as many times as you want.

Electronic card programs eliminate the need to go to the store for cards. Some people use those. These cards can be created and sent to others. People do print them out and that contributes to the trash situation in the landfill.

Which is better, e-cards or paper? That is up to you. Be responsible with your choices and instead of throwing out those paper cards, find creative ways to reuse them.