We generate 23% more waste during December than other months of the year, but more than three in four Americans wish the holidays were less materialistic. Our retail and consumer culture have gotten out of hand over holiday gift-giving. 9 in 10 believe holidays should be more about family and caring for others than about giving and receiving gifts. It’s too easy to hit Amazon or just grab something off the shelf at a store. Non-material gifts require more thought, so they are valued more by the recipients.

The Center for Biological Diversity’s Kelley Dennings joins us to share what she’s learned about dematerializing and greening up the holidays. Just like “paper or plastic,” does the question of natural or artificial Christmas tree haunt you? She also points us to resources her team has created to help you do a holiday reset (see links below). They include helpful ways to introduce new non-material holiday traditions in your family. We hope this episode inspires you.

We also discuss the successful crowdfunding campaign to make our documentary, GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth free from now on (see links below).

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Simplify the Holidays Gift guides and other green holiday info https://simplifytheholidays.org/

SoKind alternative gift registry https://sokindregistry.org/

Simplify the Holidays Through Waste Reduction – Webinar https://youtu.be/jdxyYZfV27I

What Would Jesus Buy? (2007 documentary) https://youtu.be/mAxuNdtZt7c

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

Overshoot: World’s Best Introduction - Episode 57 of the GrowthBusters podcast https://www.growthbusters.org/overshoot-worlds-best-introduction/

GrowthBusters Black Friday Trailer (2018) https://youtu.be/OiTepSTPnM0

GrowthBusters Crowdfunding Campaign (It’s still active!) https://fundrazr.com/growthbustersmovie

Ending Overshoot – a publication on Medium https://medium.com/ending-overshoot

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/

Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/

Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup

See the film – GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth http:www.growthbustersmovie.org

Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org

View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube

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