How to have a zero-waste holiday this year

A Waterloo resident is challenging the community to give eco-friendly gifts and experiences for the holidays to cut down on waste.

Jennifer Lee says she turned to a minimalist lifestyle a few years ago when living in Toronto with her husband and two kids, in an effort to free up space in their small condo.

After moving to Waterloo in January, Lee says, her family has evolved to only producing a single grocery bag of trash each month.

"I think it's really important to keep promoting the sort of lifestyle," said Lee. "I think that with a lot of climate change issues … it's good to raise awareness about the different, environmentally-friendly options we [have] to help reduce climate change."

According to non-profit Zero Waste Canada, 545,000 tonnes of waste is generated from gift wrapping and shopping bags each year. On top of this, household waste can increase more than 25 per cent during the holiday season.

Now that the season is in full swing, Lee says she hopes to raise awareness about how people can easily make a difference in the waste they produce.

She made a guide over four years ago that she shares again each year, sometimes with new tweaks. She says she's noticed an appetite for more minimalist initiatives throughout Waterloo.

"I hope that people don't just try and make the swaps during the holiday," Lee said. "I hope they can take these ideas and use them all year round."

Not only can these tips cut down on waste, but Lee says they can save time, money and stress too.

"A lot of people get really stressed during the holidays and always want to find the perfect gift for everyone," she said. 

"But I think if we just simplified things and focused more on experiences and just meeting up with everyone, I think that would also help with the holiday rush."