[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’EDITORIAL’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
HOW DO WE tackle crass consumerism so that the real reason for the season is not drowned out by the festive celebration? This time of the year, a lot of us dig deep into our coffers to give our loved ones, especially the children, gifts to warm the heart or fill the belly. How do we avoid creating more holiday trash? How do we make sure we are not unwittingly poisoning the children? Allow us to count the ways…
Collect unused gifts, old clothes, toys, books and other materials and donate them to a charitable institution.
Personalize gifts by making them yourself. Why not gift friends and family with your specialty dish, plants from your own backyard, scrapbooks, or a CD music selection.
Volunteer your time and talents to projects and services for the community and the environment. Ask your barangay, church, school or organization how you can be of help.
Give old items you have with a new look. This not only prevents waste generation, it also allows room for personal creativity. It also gives the receiver the feeling that you took the time and effort to create for her/him.
When buying gifts, choose eco-friendly products that do not come from old-growth forests, are not fossil fuel based, nontoxic, and not made from child or abusive labor practices.
Give products or delicacies from your province. Go for fruits, vegetables, plants, sweets, condiments, decorative and functional crafts, etc.
Choose gifts that do not need to be wrapped such as potted plants, massage from blind masseurs, gift checks, concert tickets, raffle tickets etc.
If you need to wrap the gift, use old magazines or newspapers (especially the comics section), old bandannas, etc. You can also use craft paper and jazz it up with colored pencils.
Call or send e-card to family and friends with internet access. Create your own greeting card to give it a more personal touch or buy cards from groups with a special mission or advocacy.
Let us be reminded that the first Christmas was beautifully celebrated with profound simplicity in a manger. Its real essence lies not in lavish consumption that eats up lots of resources and generates tons of waste, but on good deeds that we do for our fellow beings and the environment.
As stewards of God’s creation, let us lead the way in “greening” the festivities.
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
