By Kate Bulinski, Kentucky IPL Board Member
The following is the second in a series of blogs from the Kentucky IPL Board of Directors. Read more for ideas on how indulging in the season can also involve the incorporation of sustainable practices.
Monday was is December 6th which just happens to be the last day of Hanukkah. Hanukkah sameach! We’ll also soon be celebrating Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Day. Many of us have been or will soon be sending holiday cards, eating sweets, enjoying festive music and, yes, doing a bit of shopping for gift giving. Indulging in the season can also involve the incorporation of sustainable practices. Here are some practical ideas for how to make some more eco-friendly choices now and into the new year!
Gift Giving: Gifts don’t always need to be purchased, or they don’t need to be purchased new, or you could think about purchasing gifts that actually help the earth. Think about who you want to give a gift to. Do you have a sentimental keepsake that would be meaningful to pass along your friend or family member for them to enjoy? How about a hand-made item or the offer to do something nice for them through the year like make them dinner? What about an eco-friendly gift like a subscription to a farm share, a gift card to a local native-plant nursery, or a donation to a favorite environmental non-profit (like Kentucky IPL 😊)?
New Year’s Resolutions: Becoming more sustainable doesn’t happen all at once, as I see it, it’s a life-long process of learning, adapting, and adjusting habits. As we look towards the new year, think about making some New Year’s resolutions that incorporate more eco-friendly choices. Maybe instead of just one resolution, challenge yourself to making 12 commitments, adding or trying out a new one for each month of the year. Ideas might include a month where you eat less meat, a month where you more intentionally avoid single-use plastics, or a month when you choose to line dry your laundry, or a month where you commit to educating yourself more about environmental issues. Think about what makes sense for you and your circumstances. You could even organize monthly sustainability challenges like these for your faith communities! Committing to a new sustainable practice for a month can feel easier to achieve than an open-ended commitment, and who knows, new habits might just stick!
Making new connections: Sustainability doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We all need each other to work together to a common goal of a brighter, healthier, more equitable, greener future. We at Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light invite you to connect with us in the new year. We offer educational programming, energy audits, workshops, opportunities to connect with other green leaders in the state and much more. We’re here to help you and your faith communities grow in your commitment to creation care. Reach out! Let us know how we can help you achieve your sustainability goals!
I hope that your holiday season is filled with comfort, peace and joy this year and that we’ll get a chance to work together in 2022 to care for this beautiful planet earth that we call home.
Happy Holidays,
Kate Bulinski, Kentucky IPL Board Member