Happy ECO Holidays!
If there’s anything the pandemic has taught me it’s that I have too much stuff. 
Not a day goes by that I don’t look around my house and notice how many spaces are in need a decluttering session. The drive to simplify started when I listened to the Marie Kondo book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
That, followed by nine months of at home confinement, looking — every, every day, looking — at all the things we have accumulated over the years, and I decided it was time to get serious. But just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, a house will not be decluttered in one either, especially after the decades it took to get that way. Kondo gives you great tips for this task, and while I found it a little on the fanatical side, she is the clean up master.
So what do do with Christmas approaching and the possibility of more stuff being stuffed into my house? We decided to only buy things we were going to use, consume or wear with frequency, i.e, no more saving the decorative holiday candles from year to year until they melt from the summer heat; we’re using all that stuff now or never!
Switching to sustainable living shouldn’t be tough since it’s really only about changing habits. There are many ways you can improve upon your carbon footprint from renting a Christmas tree (I know, right?! Way to turn Christmas on its head!), to using recycled packaging, reducing food waste, shopping locally, making handmade gifts, drinking organic wine, and reusing everything that comes into your home at least once.
There are a million more ways, I’m sure, and with just a little forethought to reduce, reuse, and recycle, you can minimize the footprint your holiday celebrations have on the depleting ozone, the rising carbon threat, and the felling of another pine tree. (True confession — we went to a tree farm yesterday and bought a lovely little Christmas tree, but I’m feeling okay about it because I planted six baby pines in our yard in the last week to make up for it.)
My sister and her husband started a business this summer — yes, 202 in the middle of a pandemic was a tough time to start a business — focusing on Upcycling and reuse by taking wood and other materials that no longer serve a purpose and giving them new life and meaning.
These propagation stations were originally created to support the plants that were going to be incorporated into their living wall, an aquaponics and artsy marvel that mimics the lifecycle. The system uses a unique hydration system to pump the water and fish poop in the aquarium up to the top of the wall where it gently and slowly cascades down behind the backer, watering the roots of the plant. It adds so much life and joy to their living room that they can no longer imagine a living room without it.
All of their designs are a delightful mix of whimsy and practicality and best of all, they are made from recycled materials.
If you need a Christmas gift that is beautiful, sustainable, and useful, check out their Etsy site. And as with everything, shop responsibly and sustainably.
pam lazos 12.6.20
Green Life Blue Water 
How cool you’ve got a business to help others live more sustainably! As you say, it requires a change in habits, which can be tough, but so worth it in the end. And now speaking of stuff, I need to go through some nonsense in the basement m’self…
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Well not my business, but my sister and her husband. It’s very new and growing a bit each day.
And today is a great day to tackle the basement. I’ve already got two of the kids lined up to help me (since most of not is their stuff)!🥳💗
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Oh, I got it. Awesome you for supporting them! And yes, it’s time the kids said goodbye to toys they have outgrown. We reeeeally don’t need half a dozen Lightning McQueens underfoot. 🙂
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If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught me it’s that I don’t need so much stuff!
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Love your sister and brother-in-law’s designs. The best to them in their new business. I hadn’t realized how many paper wine bags my daughter and I have sent back and forth to each other until I was searching my stuff for Christmas gift bags. She’s getting some of them back this Christmas as they seem to work for gifts other than wine, lol.
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Great idea, Michele, although wine 🍷 is good, too!
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I wish them luck Pam – tough that they started a business this year though. I love the idea that you bought a tree and planted six baby pines. May they thrive and be the subject of a blog post in just a few short years.
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Aw, thanks, Linda. I hope we all thrive. 🥰😘❤️
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Me too – it may take awhile, but with vaccines, hope is now on the horizon.
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Yes to hope!
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I so agree with you, Pam. That book looks great, too. I call it ‘minimalistic’ but your terms are also excellent. For example, I rarely print anything anymore. When I go to my writer’s group meetings, I bring submittals on my iPad and email–no more paper (of course, I don’t go in person anymore). I’m always surprised I’m the only one who does that. I suppose I can set the new standard!
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Go for it, Jacqui!!
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Hi Pam – essential tips for us … we do waste so much over the festive season … and we need to care for our environment, and our family and friends … particularly now. Don’t waste festive food … always use up things … as I was brought up with after WW2 – I still don’t throw food away. Thanks for reminding us – take care
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Your sister and husband’s business will be so successful – they’ve lots of ideas … good luck to one and all – Hilary
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Thank you, sweet Hilary!🙏🥰
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Me either, Hilary. Clean your plate and all, although my waistline suffers a bit for that one! 😂🤣
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We all need to do more of that!
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Hi Mick!
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Hi Pam!
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🤗
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Way to go, Pam!
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xoxoxox!
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Don’t feel guilty about buying the Christmas tree. They are grown for that purpose and do their share of removing carbon from the atmosphere. You can take it a step further, and after Christmas, recycle the tree. Use the needles and twigs to make pine needle tea, which is both good tasting and healthy. I researched it: https://marieqrogers.com/2020/07/19/pine-tea-for-the-pandemic/. I bag and freeze excess needles so I always have a supply.
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Never heard of the tea, but I’ll try it, Marie. I usually keep some of the boughs and burn them throughout the year as a natural air cleanser, like burning sage. The rest of the tree goes in the woods behind me where it decomposes over time. Never thought about freezing needles either so I’ll have to try that. 🙏🤗
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It’s true: So many of us own SO much stuff. And quite a few people own two or more homes, and there’s so much stuff in each of those abodes. Anyway, enjoy the upcoming week. Take care.
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Wow, I didn’t even think about the second home thing, Neil. That’s a lot of stuff!
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Wow, you are a creative angel dear Pam 😊👍 thank you and wish you wonderful holidays ❤ 😘
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Back at you, Aladin. Great time for self-reflection, I think. ;0)
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Wonderful what they are doing Pam. The happiest holiday to you and yours. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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And to you, Shey!! xooxo
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My friend the feeling is mutual. You are also a maker of lemonade. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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😘 😚 🥰💗💕❤️
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And you, Shey. I could use a bit of snow to get into the season, though. ❄️ Does it snow in Scotland?
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It does but not very much where we are on the east coast, Further north and west is a better bet. Having said that we did have a terrible storm about 10 years ago and the snow lasted for weeks. Of course we had many adventures and saw many sights. The day it struck we were coming back from Glencoe which usually takes 3 hours. The first 90 mins was fine so then it took us like 6 hours to get the rest of the way. Scotland was at a standstill. I had had the foresight to put a shovel in the car boot. I am not gonna start re the places we dug out of, of the digging teams we got going.
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Ah, but an adventure to remember and perhaps write about someday! I do love those adventures after they’re over!!🤪🤣
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Yeah, on our last roll of the dice …push uphill out of a drift, shoulder to the car boot, rather, the dug out bits filling as quickly as they had been dug, facing miles back to Crieff, IF the car didn’t move it this time, I did think I am sure one day I will look back upon this day with great fondness……
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😂🤣😘 Those are the memories you cherish!💕
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What was really important that day was the Mr was at the height of the menieres at that time but we did it. He did the driving cos you hardly dared stop, it was slither and crawl hour after hour and when we finally hauled into Perth a van had slithered blocking the access road to the motorway. Anyway, we still had all the hill gear on so I got out the car, got the shovel and started knocking on car windows trying to get a team up to get the van dug out so we could all get moving. I had said to him, to stay in the car cos actually that was how our lives were at that point but after ten mins he was pout there going, he had seen how he had become and was done with it. So actually that is my best memory of that day. It was a turning point.
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Aw, Shey, that’s awesome 👏 and also, I had no idea he had Menieres. What a tough thing. I know if what you speak though because my husband has MS and that impairs all kinds of things. Glad to see the Mr. rebounded!🥰😘👌
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He odes. Nowadays they can do things for it but not then. He had to give up his work early and all and we were not able to keep our last house cos of that, but hey that’s life you know. he still sometimes gets bother but just very occasionally. He’s also deaf in one ear cos of it.
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Ah, Shey, that’s so sad. So many hurdles in life, eh? Looks like you have made lemonade of lemons though I do say. One of the reasons I adore you!🥰❤️😘
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Eco holidays is the type that we must consider after the pandemic. Thank you for the post…
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So true, and thank you for stopping by!
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You are welcome!
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