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The holidays are a season of joy — and responsibility.
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As we work toward being carbon negative by 2030, many of our efforts, which continue to be recognized by leading global sustainability organizations, can be used by anyone at work and at home.
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Learn simple ways to reduce your holiday environmental footprint through the lens of our WE ACT framework.
Being good environmental stewards during the holiday season
The holidays are a season of joy, gratitude and renewal. For many of us, the spirit of giving is strong. We gift beautifully wrapped packages. We gift time with family and friends. We gift tins of cookies and homemade food.
“The holidays can be a meaningful time, providing an opportunity for gratitude, time with loved ones and reflection,” says Oriana Turley, program manager of environmental stewardship at Providence. “It’s also a time in my own life for a reset — a renewed spirit looking forward to the new year, and after the winter solstice, the coming of more light. It’s a great time to make new goals and recommit to practices that are important. The holiday season encapsulates all of this.”
It’s also a season of responsibility.
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, Americans generate 23% more waste in December compared to other months. Turley says nature inspires her feelings of renewal and environmental stewardship, at work and at home, throughout the holiday season.
“These concepts are all wrapped up for me when it comes to this season of joy and togetherness, but they’re also rooted in responsibility to be a good steward of all of the gifts that life has given to me.”
Our leadership in environmental stewardship
At Providence, we’re committed to environmental stewardship throughout the year. As we work toward carbon negative by 2030, our efforts to reduce pollution continue to be recognized by leading global sustainability organizations. Our innovations in data and tracking and resource conservation efforts in our hospitals aim to advance health equity for our patients and communities while saving millions of dollars each year.
“It inspires me so much to talk to caregivers who are doing this work on the ground. They are finding creative and new ideas on how to get others engaged in caring about the planet,” Turley says.
The Providence Center for Environmental Stewardship serves as a hub for people outside our walls to be inspired and learn ways, big and small, to care more wisely for our people, our resources and our planet.
Simple ways to reduce your holiday environmental footprint
During the holidays, our WE ACT framework helps us think about environmental stewardship in key categories: Waste, Energy and water, Agriculture and food, and Chemicals and Transportation. Here are tips for responsibly basking in the joy of the season.
W: Waste
Get creative with gift wrapping. Consider wrapping gifts with newspapers, old maps or fabric. You can also skip wrapping altogether. If you celebrate Christmas, some families have a tradition of placing unwrapped gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve. A scavenger hunt to find unwrapped gifts is also a fun activity.
Turley’s 7-year-old daughter unwraps gifts carefully to save gift bags and wrapping paper for reuse, often suggesting who might like each design as she opens her gifts.
I really appreciate that this is normal for her,” Turley says. “I do think that this habit adds meaning and creates memories beyond that moment, turning receiving and giving gifts into a more thoughtful experience overall.”
E: Energy & water
To save energy, switch to LED holiday lights. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lights use 75% less energy and last nearly 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. Also, unplug decorations when not in use.
If you’re cooking big meals or making lots of sweet treats, use water-efficient dishwashing practices and avoid running half-empty dishwasher loads.
A: Agriculture & food
Plan meals mindfully to reduce food waste and consider plant-forward meals. When buying ingredients, support your local farms. Shopping locally also reduces transport emissions. Encourage your guests to bring containers for leftovers and make it a habit to keep some in your car in case you need them, too.
C: Chemicals
Before you deep-clean your house in preparation for company, stock up on third-party-verified natural cleaning products, such as GreenSeal, UL ECOLOGO and GreenGuard.
Also, avoid synthetic fragrances in décor and candles. A few fresh sprigs of pine around your house can mimic a pine-scented candle. Poke cloves into several mandarins or oranges, then put them in a pot of simmering water with some cinnamon and vanilla.
T: Transportation
When possible, combine errands to reduce trips and emissions. Carpool to holiday events. Avoid the busy airport and host a virtual gathering for long-distance family and friends.
Reduce consumption
According to a 2022 study from the Center for Biological Diversity, 90% of respondents wished the holidays were less materialistic. When we reduce consumption, we also reduce pollution!
Turley explains that her family chooses to give experiences instead of physical gifts whenever they can. She feels that sharing these moments brings them closer—they look forward to the experience and treasure the memories they create together.
“For me, it taps back into the more meaningful aspects of the holidays. It’s not about things or how many presents you got. It’s more about that feeling of togetherness and the magic around the holidays and a deeper, more meaningful way of living that is more intentional,” Turley says.
Turley spent years working as a nurse at Providence St. Patrick Hospital before taking on her current role. When working around the holidays, she and her fellow caregivers would celebrate with potlucks.
“We would bring meals to share and really tried to foster a festive, supportive atmosphere, especially during the holidays,” she recalls. The unit reduced waste by bringing reusable dishes and utensils. The strong culture of intentionality in her unit often inspired her to consider daily choices that lessen environmental impact.
“That culture of environmental stewardship was really strong in the unit where I worked,” she says. “That really made an impression on me. It goes back to intentionality. What choices do you want to make every single day to lessen your impact on the planet, to be more intentional with the way that you live?”
Gift the planet your time
One of the best gifts everyone can give this holiday season is the gift of time by volunteering with local environmental organizations. If you have kids, get them involved, too! Activities can include:
- Tree planting or park cleanups
- Helping community gardens prepare for winter
- Supporting food banks with donations of any extra food you don’t need
At Providence, our caregivers and staff regularly volunteer to connect with our communities and reinforce our mission of Health for a Better World.
“For me, this really goes back to gratitude,” Turley says. “Many of us live a privileged existence.
We have what we need; we’re able to provide meaningful experiences and good food during the holidays. There are so many people who do not have those opportunities.”
Volunteering to feed others during the holidays, donating to the local food bank or cleaning up a local natural area allows Turley to demonstrate to her daughter different ways to be intentional.
“We don’t need more material items,” she says. “We don’t need more stuff. We need more meaningful experiences, and a huge part of that is being in service to others and to the planet.”
Small actions add up. This holiday season, we invite you to reflect on your own environmental stewardship and the small steps you can take to care for our planet.
Check out our WE ACT gift guide and Heartwiring: Environmental Stewardship from the Heart with Sister Sara Tarango, whose words are a constant gift to us.
“I’m always inspired by Sister Sara Tarango,” Turley says. “When it comes to this time of reflection and gratitude, she has such a meaningful way of reminding us to be rooted in our mission at Providence, caring for the vulnerable and being good stewards of our resources as we work toward Health for a Better World. These truly are the things we believe in and why we do this work.”
Contributing caregiver
Oriana Turley, RN, is program manager of environmental stewardship at Providence.
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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
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