Filled With Your Favorite Things

Day 8: Sending a Little Christmas

Exchanging gifts with friends and family across the country means that there are lots of packages being shipped and delivered each day. In this internet age, shopping online has many advantages over shopping in a brick-and-mortar retail environment. You can make online purchases 24 hours a day, and you save all the time spent driving to, parking and browsing in a store. Not to mention the benefits of avoiding the crowds out and about during December. Shopping online also allows you to quickly compare items, and select the best product for your needs at the best price.

However, shopping online only increases the amount of packages - and packaging - used to deliver purchases and gifts. If you are buying a gift to give to somebody, consider having the item shipped directly to them instead of adding the shipment to your house first. Any retail organization worth its salt will have optional gift wrapping and messaging available for you to take advantage of, and save yourself additional time and money.

When you open packages at home, don't discard the paper, bubble wrap, and insulation used to pad and protect your products. Save it for the next box you put together to ship out. Throughout the year I am constantly searching for a good box to use and appropriate packing material when I need to send something. This season provides a cache of cardboard boxes to save and access as needed, instead of recycling everything now and purchasing more materials throughout the year.

There are lots of ways to re-use packaging materials to save resources.