Enriching Your Holidays
Each year more families “go green” by incorporating environmentally sound practices into their Easter celebration. Here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, we have some holiday tips. We hope one of ways you’ll commemorate this season of rebirth and rejoicing is to visit with your family, to see how earth is gloriously renewing itself within our 24 individual gardens and three natural areas.
Reversing the Trend
Symbols are an important part of holidays, and Easter is no exception. The egg, for example, was adapted by early Christians from other spring celebrations to symbolize the tomb in which Jesus was buried before his resurrection. As with so many other holidays, however, commercialism has encroached upon the sacred nature of Easter; today the message of the holiday is sometimes buried under an avalanche of brimming baskets, plastic eggs, cheap toys, and candy, candy, everywhere. Though unlikely that the commercialized aspects of gift giving and food consumption during Easter will end, the eco-unfriendly trend toward artificiality is reversing—and you can help keep the momentum going!
Do Something Different with Baskets
Keep in mind that an eco-friendly Easter doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing prospect. Instead, take a few eco-friendly baby steps each year. Buy Easter baskets made out of wood or reeds (Longaberger makes beautiful ones) or engage your children in decorating shoebox baskets for the holiday. Shred colored construction paper or old Sunday comics and use that material in place of plastic grass. With a little advance planning, you can even sprout your own wheatberry grass for Easter baskets.
Reuse Those Plastic Eggs
Don’t worry: we are not going to advise you to toss your holiday accoutrements into the incinerator (that would create noxious fumes, anyway). If you are among the many families who possess a petroleum-derived plethora of Easter decorations already—you can’t imagine not hanging plastic eggs from your tree or hiding them in the grass for youngsters to discover—then simply vow to reuse them forever. After all, they will outlive you!
Eggs to Dye For
One of the most exciting Easter activities for families is dyeing eggs. This year—or next, depending on which baby eco-step you are taking—try making your own chemical-free dyes. All-natural dyes have a muted but vibrant color, and kids will love seeing how things like berries and other fruits, beets and other vegetables, and spices can transform plain white eggs into artwork. A number of websites and books explain the process, or you can order plant-based dyes online that eliminate some of the work while providing a nonsynthetic egg-dyeing alternative. If you’re really looking for a eggciting change, you can even use old silk ties, transferring their intricate fabric designs onto eggshells.
Shop Smart
Whether you’re purchasing eggs to decorate (and then consume as egg salad…a lot of egg salad) or shopping for your Easter dinner, look for organic, chemical-free items. Organic vegetarian eggs have been shown to contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids (a.k.a. “good” fat), while grass-fed meat is leaner and lower in calories, and contains increased levels of another type of “good” fat known as conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. Organic, sustainably grown produce has never been easier to find—and don’t forget to bring your own bags when you shop (many grocery stores sell recycled shopping bags).
Set the Tone with Your Table
Before your Easter dinner, think about setting the “green” tone for the holidays with your settings. Try to avoid using paper products, even if the crowd you expect exceeds your china count. If you must use disposable settings, consider purchasing compostible items for dining such as those used in the Garden Café at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Some eco-conscious stores carry biodegradable tableware, but you might find shopping online easier; there are a number of websites offering these corn- , bamboo- , or sugar cane-based items, such as ecoproducts.com. greenyour.com, and www.branchhome.com.
The Good News About Goodies
Of course, the main attraction of Easter baskets for kids are those tasty goodies. Fluorescently bright, artificially flavored marshmallow chicks are seemingly everywhere, along with any number of preservative-filled candies and chocolates in alluring-to-kids, garish-to-moms packages and shapes. Not to fret, however: each year brings more all-natural treat options, which means switching to healthier goodies has never been easier. Organic chocolates and other candies are better for you and the environment, lacking toxic pesticides and preservatives, and a number of organic companies also strive to reduce packaging used with their products. These days, you can even buy naturally colored, vegan marshmallow chicks and bunnies in health food stores or online.
Get Crafty with Toys
Tucked beside edible treats in the Easter basket are usually a few little toys or stuffed animals. Take another baby eco-step, this one away from the purchase of rubber bunny spike balls, wind-up jumping eggs, or other plastic junk possessing a shelf life of two seconds. What could be cuter, not to mention a great way to recycle, than cuddly bunnies and chicks made out of those single socks lurking about the laundry room? All it takes is an hour or so of your time, which you will have when you don’t drive to the store in search of those tacky tchochkes.
If you just don’t feel like making a holiday craft, you can still keep the car parked while shopping online for all-natural toys and stuffed animals that are kind to the environment, plus irresistibly cute. Case in point: little rabbits made from recycled vintage fabric and filled with chemical-free dried lavender. Some eco-conscious companies can even take care of the whole shebang: basket, edible goodies, and gifts. Just use the search phrase “eco-friendly Easter toys” and to bring up pages of options.
Happy Easter!
Grass is growing, buds are bursting, and now, with a few tweaks, your Easter holiday will be greening up as well. The Chicago Botanic Garden wishes you and your families the very best of holidays and hopes to see you all out here soon, enjoying springtime at its best!