Welcome to the Essere Organics November Newsletter.

In this Issue

	Eco-Shopping
	Have a Green Holiday

In Other News

Have a look at our great new gift basket .

Check it out at Gifts!

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Eco-Shopping

Everyone is preparing for the holidays and no matter what religion or ethnicity you are, presents are in your near future. Take the time and energy to shop green and give a gift to the earth while giving gifts to family and friends.

Is what you’re buying biodegradable, recyclable, or made of recycled materials? It is pretty easy to shop smart these days since most manufacturers tout their eco-friendly manufacturing. Look for recycling logos on packaging, claims of eco-friendliness in the copy, and the Made in USA label. Being made in the States may not mean it is green, but it has a better shot at following the rules. Many companies manufacture in other countries to save money, but the laws we have in place here do not apply over there. With all the recalls in the news, Made in USA is more than national loyalty; it is an opportunity to see which manufacturers are spending that extra nickel for our safety.

Look for the Energy Star seal when buying energy-consumptive products such as appliances, heating and cooling systems, electronics, and lighting. Energy Star is a government program that is used to protect the environment through better energy efficiency.

Buy from eco-friendly stores. Check the Internet for directories of green stores like www.greenpeople.org. Get to know your local vendors and find out how they conduct business. Are they aware of their impact on our environment and what do they do about it? Do they recycle? Whatever parts of the green movement are most important to you should be important to them, too. If they aren’t, then move on and give your money to a business who has the same global vision as you.

Also, by being creative in your gift giving your generosity may stretch farther than you imagined. For example, you can spend money on philanthropy. If you’re shopping for someone who has everything, donate to a cause in their name and the gift-wrap can be as paperless as an email.

So as we do all of our gift event countdowns, keep an eye out for what you can give the health and well being of future generations while looking for something to give a loved one now.

Have a Green Holiday

Remember that crazy aunt who saved all the gift-wrap and bows? She doesn’t seem so crazy anymore. Robert Lilienfeld said in Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are that Americans throw away a million extra tons of garbage each week between Thanksgiving and Christmas day. A large portion is holiday wrapping and packaging. We can bring that number down by getting creative with our holiday Santa play.
Wrap with creativity and a focus on recycling. If you can find recycled paper gift-wrap that’s great. Or you can save some money by recycling on your own. Wrap a gift in magazines and newspapers. Have a fashion plate on your list? Take your old issue of a fashion magazine and use the pages as gift-wrap. Or you can use paper bags or butcher paper. Use paint, crayons, or markers to add some design to the wrap, too.

After the gifts are given, do what that crazy aunt did and store the usable wrapping paper and bows for next year. If all else fails, at least make sure the wrapping is recyclable. Avoid foil paper and mylar wrapping which are not recyclable.

Going green for the holidays is not just about the presents. Home decorations and the traditional Christmas tree are also holiday traditions that can use some conservation and recycling. Use recyclable materials whenever you can. Avoid plastic and other materials that do not biodegrade. You can use dried plants for a classic rustic look and recycle at the end of the year. If it can’t be avoided, buy decorations that will last for many holidays so you know the un-recyclable gets a lot of use. And in the end, give it to Goodwill to recycle for a few more years.

Live trees are beautiful and smell great…and they ARE green! Since Christmas trees are grown for the specific purpose of being cut down and put into a home, our forests don’t suffer. Also, they can be recycled by becoming wood chips. However, while a live tree is greener than most think, the greenest Christmas tree of all is not so easy to spot. The transportations of live trees uses quite a bit of oil as these tree farms are oftentimes out of state. A fake tree can last decades, but if it likely not recyclable. You can give it away to the needy when you’re done for an even longer life span. Finally, this writer is a fan of the potted tree. A tree will only go as large as its roots can go, so keep the tree the size you want by picking the appropriate pot. However, be sure to take care of it and store it outside. The heat of the indoors can kill a fir quite easily. And once you find the tree that matches your own eco-sensibilities, use LED lights on it because they are reported to be almost 90% more efficient than your old fashioned Christmas lights.

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Bring nature to a loved ones’ doorstep this Christmas by browsing through Essere Organics’ Gifts. Give green this holiday season and the earth will thank you.