This Christmas will be the ultimate test: As shoppers flex their spending muscles, will they decide to use their green to "go green?"
Boston-based strategy and communications firm Cone Inc. found that 59 percent of Americans surveyed will make more of an effort to buy "green" this holiday season than in previous years. They also found that 54 percent of respondents said they would pay more for a product if it were eco-friendly. But struggling eco-systems are not necessarily the reason for shoppers' changing tastes. More than half (52 percent) of those surveyed said they are motivated to shop "green" to lessen the guilt produced by all of those gift exchanges and holiday parties.
"During the holidays we drive a lot more than when we are at school, we use more wrapping paper and more energy with all of our decorations," said Mary Sasso, A&S '08. "I mean, look at our Mod, we have tons of lights." She added that this year, however, she and her roommates diligently turn the lights off whenever they are asleep or are not in the room. LED (light emitting diode) holiday lights are now widely available but are considerably more expensive. One Web site merchant, Holidayleds.com, says that while they are more expensive, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Standard incandescent lights only last for approximately 2,000 hours while LED lamps can last as long as 200,000 hours.
The merchants also remind customers that there are no glass bulbs to break, and LED lights require only 10 percent of the energy used to power a traditional strand of holiday lights. They estimate a typical household would save $20 over the 30-day holiday season. At $20 a strand for the Warm White Mini LED Lights, "going green" in this way may not be for everyone, but Sasso says it can be manageable. "If everyone in your apartment chips in, it's not that bad and you've made an investment," she said.
With or without a celebrity endorsement, gift givers and decorators are seeking eco-friendly alternatives because of high gas prices and energy costs. By sending e-cards instead of paper cards, families can cut down on waste and cost. By forgoing wrapping paper and instead using recycled newspaper to cover presents, a family saves money as well. A personally decorated canvas tote performs double duty as a gift bag and a gift.
2008 Woodie Awards
