Holidays can mean a lot of waste, and tend not to be particularly eco-friendly. Easter is an easy holiday to make a lot of eco-friendly swaps. Here are some ideas!

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Use an alternative to plastic eggs, or reuse ones you have

Don’t get in a habit of buying dozens, if not hundreds, of plastic eggs every year. We have saved plastic eggs from over the years, reusing them each year. Yes, they are cheap, but at what cost to the environment? You can also buy paper eggs, which you can save or compost after using.

Make only as many eggs as you’re going to eat

It is easy to get carried away with making eggs. However, it is wasteful to make dozens of eggs especially if you aren’t planning on eating them. Unfortunately, hard boiled eggs aren’t even good for composting, so it is better to skip making ones you don’t plan on eating.

Make egg dyeing more eco-friendly

Consider using natural dyes for Easter eggs. It is neat to see what colors you can get from using food sources as dyes, or purchase natural dyes online. Also consider doing away with things like glitter, as micro-plastics are a big source of pollution.

Don’t gift a lot of material items and choose material items carefully

It is easy to get caught up on gifting material items. However, think outside the box and consider alternatives. Gifting experiences and gift cards is a great way to go!

You can also gift useful but enjoyable items, like clothes, spring rain boots, swimsuits, haircare items, crafts, etc. Food and treats that get consumed are also pretty much a given at Easter time.

Take it a step further and purchase cloth toys or wood toys, clothes made from sustainable materials like bamboo, and so on.

Don’t buy plastic Easter grass

Plastic easter grass is very wasteful, and also bad for the environment. These little shreds of plastic are messy, and can pose a danger to pets, kids, and wildlife. Skip the grass altogether or find a sustainable alternative like recycled paper grass.

Reuse Easter baskets or go with an eco-friendly basket

Don’t buy a new Easter basket every single year. Consider sticking with one basket to use for many years, use a basket you already have, or use something in lieu of a basket (such as a bucket or bin that can be repurposed).

Choose treats carefully

It is a good idea to support fair trade, sustainable companies, as well as local companies when you can. There are lots of great ways to choose treats that are better for the earth.  Holiday treats can also mean a lot of packaging, so keep this in mind. For example, buy treats that come in a jar, versus individually wrapped candies.

Shop locally for gifts and your Easter dinner

When you are buying Easter gifts and supplies, shop local and support your local businesses.  This could be anything from eggs from a nearby farmer to a business that makes chocolates.  There are lots of great locally made items that you can find to fill your family’s Easter baskets with.

Also think about your Easter dinner, purchasing local foods and supporting local businesses.

Check out this awesome egg-dyeing chart!

Photo 90143724 © Stefan Berger – Dreamstime.com