live|work: Low Carb Christmas
by Tamara Giltsoff, United Kingdom on 12.13.06
So, it’s coming up to Christmas. And there’s been some great gift guides from our favorite blogs. But I’d like to gift without having to consume a material good and load up my carbon debt. Yes, I know it seems odd because we live in a propertied world and we like to wrap things up to give them to people, but I don’t want to be responsible for the footprint required to create the material good and the packaging of these goods to people who don’t really want or need them. Why would I want the burden of more energy consumed against my name? Bah humbug I hear you say. Consumption, wrapping paper and waste is the essence of the Holiday. Maybe not forever...
2006 hit with climate change awareness – thank you Gore, Treehugger, Wal-Mart and many others for finally starting to mainstream the issue, bringing it into my shopping bag and the boardroom. My hypothesis is that in 2007 awareness will translate into a new consciousness: “carbon consciousness”, which, will likely, be socialized. The transition from awareness to behavior change will be fueled by ever increasing ways of understanding the energy tag of our lives. Heavy or wasteful energy consuming goods will become the burden; light consumption (“Low carb consumption”) will become the privilege. Services that support this transition and new forms of consumption will become the symbol of envy – not material wealth. So, this year dear Santa’s Little Helpers, please can you put in your slay some presents that provide access to great things but not ownership…
A year’s worth of solar-power for my mother, supplied by SunEdison, a new solar service model, fueling the industry and bringing down prices
A years worth of carbon credits, invested in an offset solution of my choice
$350 dollars of organic, locally produced farm goods invested into a Community Supported Agriculture scheme
$100 dollars micro-investment into a promising, but small start-up in a developing market
Five years supply of the best bed in the world, for me and my lover, manufactured for full disassembly and reuse (I’m dreaming)
Ten years premium membership to Streetcar, with privelaged access to an allotted time
12 low energy light bulbs and the an hour of bulb refitting
A years subscription to the best toy and book library in the market for my niece Daphne
One night our in the best vintage dress from the Peninsula Hotel vintage wardrobe
Membership to the very cool Surfrider Foundation - a cool non-profit protecting our waves (and on Treehugger's Green Gift Guide)
2007 – go light on carbs.
Written by Tamara Giltsoff
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Buy Nothing Day 2008 Has a Hollow Ring
- Bruce Sterling and the Last Viridian Note
- Free "Holy Ground" Book To First 20 TreeHuggers
- World’s Fastest Electric Superbike: 125 MPH & No Carbon Emissions
To me christmas has become a symbol of consumerism gone amock, and has very little to do with any real values. I have written a post on this pointless calendar tyranny on my website, and have sent christmas, birthdays and aniversaries to Room 101.