Green CelebrationsA program of Reclaim Your Holidays,

an initiative to help Iowans create more meaningful celebrations and reduce ecological

footprints

Susan Salterbergwith Kristi Cooper

Green CelebrationsSession 1:

Rethinking Holiday Celebrations Session 2:

Simplifying Gift-Giving, Food & Gatherings Session 3:

Taking Green Celebrations/RYHs to Your Community

Rethinking Holiday CelebrationsGoal: To deepen your understanding of the…1) ecological impact of

consumption 2) relationship between

life satisfaction and “stuff”

Rethinking Holiday CelebrationsOnce basic needs are met, happiness is achieved through such things as engaging in activities of interest to us & spending time with friends and family.

Welcome

State your first name and something you love in the natural world completing the sentence:

“I love…”

Waste Hierarchy

RecyclingRe-

process material

to a make another product

ReuseUse

product in

original form, but in

new way.

Reduce

What is it???

Reduce

Reduce consumer use of materials Reduce material use in

product manufacture Decrease toxicity Increase useful life

(durability, repair-ability)

ReduceReduced (or more efficient) consume

r use of materials

ReduceReduced material use in product manufacture

ReduceDecreased

toxicity

ReduceIncreased

useful life through

durability and repair-

ability

ReductionPrevents the generation of waste. It’s the preferred—but often-overlooked—strategy.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Yet, the hierarchy has its limitations. “Reduction” suggests “consuming less,” but “consuming better” may sometimes be preferred.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The hierarchy has its limitations.Production and consumption are far more important needs to address than disposal.

Sustainable ConsumptionConsuming less and consuming better prevent waste.

Sustainable consumption also prevents air and water pollution, loss of soil & loss of natural resources, including fossil fuels.

Resources that Introduce “Stuff” & Consumption • George Carlin video• Cartoon of drawers in staircase

Resources that Enlighten about Ecological Impacts of Consumption

• Waste Hierarchy PowerPoint slides • Life Cycle of the Phone video

Indicate level of Agreement/Disagreement (6 point scale):

Our country would be better off if we all consumed less(National Sample N=1500 March 2009 Yale Cultural Cognition Project)

25

5

25

6

30

10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Agree Disagree

Slightly

Moderately

Strongly

Some places consume less, yet life satisfaction is higher

Income/Emissions/Life Satisfaction Compared

$468

00

$279

20

$606

0

$423

60

$475

80

5.4(

t)

3.3(

t)

1.3(

t)

11.5

(t)19

.4(t

)

7.9

7.88.

5

7.5

7.4

USA Oregon CostaRica

NewZealand

Sweden

Income ($US)

Emissions (ton/capita)

Life Satisfaction Index

(

The Best Things in Life

What life experiences have made you feel totally alive and vibrant?

Memories at Holidays & CelebrationsWrite down three times of deep joy and satisfaction in conjunction with “family” at holidays or other celebrations.

Memories…Choose one memory and describe:• What were you doing?• Who were you with?• What parts were most energizing/joyous?• Were there material things essential to making this experience possible? If so, what were they?• What, if anything, prevents you from repeating this experience or others like it?

Americans think these changes would be “a good thing”1)More emphasis on family life.2)Having to learn new skills and

self-reliance.3)Reduction in individual

consumption levels.

Rethinking Holiday CelebrationsGoal: To deepen your understanding of the…1) ecological impact of

consumption 2) relationship between

life satisfaction and “stuff”

Citations• Slide 6: Cartoon reprinted with permission of the Bill Knowlton estate• Slide 7 & 16 (Waste hierarchy illustration): http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waste_hierarchy.svg• Slides 8-15 (Recycle, Reuse, Reduce definitions): Decision Maker’s Guide to Solid Waste

Management, Volume II, (EPA 530-R-95-023), 1995. Retrieved 10/1/12 at http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/dmg2/chapter5.pdf, page 5-2

• Slides 17 & 18 (Hierarchy): David Allaway, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality• Slide 22 (We’d be better off if we consumed less): PolicyInteractive Research, Eugene,

Oregon www.policyinteractive.org• Slide 23 (Life satisfaction slide): PolicyInteractive Research, Eugene, Oregon

www.policyinteractive.org. Data from Income: Per Capita World Bank 2008 estimate (Atlas Method); Emissions: Tons CO2/capita World Resources Institute (Source: Nationmaster); Life Satisfaction:: Life Satisfaction Index Gallup World Survey 2008 (Source: World Database of Happiness)

• Slides 24-26 (Memories): Burch, Mark A., 2012. The Simplicity Exercises: A Sourcebook for Simplicity Educators. The Simplicity Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

• Slide 27 (Changes would be a “good thing”): Policy Interactive Research, Eugene, Oregon, December 2009, 403 participants (MOE 4.9%); www.policyinteractive.org.

Special thanks for funding…The Resource Enhancement and

Protection Conservation Education Program &

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Solid Waste Alternatives Program

Green Celebrations A program of Reclaim Your HolidaysSusan Salterberg, salterberg@uni.eduCenter for Energy & Environmental Education, University of Northern Iowa

In partnership with

Kristi Cooper, kcoop@iastate.edu Iowa State University Extension