Linda Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair

T'was the Night Before a GREEN Christmas

T'was the night before Christmas —
a time to reflect

On how friendly we've been
to the earth, in respect.

The tree glistened brightly,
'tho few lights were strung;

Instead, strings of popcorn, and
candy canes hung.

The gift-wrap was paper
from news of the day,

Tea towels, cloth bags and
used wrap we had saved.

Gift tags were cut from cards of last year
And clusters of pine cones
donned presents with cheer.

We planned to go skating,
and sledding in snow

With snacks in containers to reuse,
don't you know?

We plugged our car batteries
for just a short while,

With dimmers and timers
as part of our style.

Next year we'll need cards
and ribbons and trim;

So we'll save them to use again and again!
Was it difficult for us? It did take some thought.

But results were well worth it,
and of waste there was naught.

With this variation of Clement Moore's traditional poem (and with gratitude to the Environmental Agency of Alberta, Canada), the Environmental Stewardship Committee invites you to consider how our celebration of the birthday of Jesus has evolved, for many people, into a whirlwind of commercialization and a binge of consumerism — hardly reflective of that simple birth in a manger. Whereas several articles in the November Cross Roads addressed the spiritual aspect of this issue (“Keeping the Holidays as Holy Days” and “Reflections on a Retail Christmas”), the purpose of this article is to ask you to consider how this consumerism impacts our planet Earth, God's creation.

According to the Michigan-based ULS Report (Use Less Stuff), during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, Americans increase the trash they generate by 25 percent — about five million extra tons. And nearly 70 percent of that goes into landfills. It doesn't have to be that way.

Here are suggestions for celebrating a greener Christmas. In so doing, you may experience the added joy of re-discovering the true joy of the Advent Season.

• Buy your gifts from local artists, craftsmen, and farmers' markets to strengthen local economies and reduce fuel consumption associated with shopping farther afield.
• Give a 'certificate' for a service that you will perform: babysitting for a busy friend, cooking a meal, gardening for a day.
• Make donations in the names of families and friends to charities, non-profit groups, and to the church.
• Make your own gifts. Baked goods, canned jellies, artwork, woodwork and other handcrafted items can capture your spirit in the gifts you give.
• Save wrapping paper and bows for reuse.
• Make tree decorations from food or used materials: cranberry wreaths, dried apple ring clusters, gingerbread ornaments.
• Bring your own shopping bags when you shop; consolidate your purchases into one bag rather than getting a new bag at each store.
• Give gifts that require no wrapping paper at all: tickets to concerts, museums, gift certificates, or house plants.
• Purchase cards made with recycled materials, make new cards from old ones, phone or send electronic greetings.
• Compost your food waste.

The true spirit of Christmas is found in giving. All of us can participate in 'giving' a healthier planet to the next generation and to generations beyond.