At Home On Earth

SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES

Perhaps, like us, you’ve wondered whether there’s a word for the mesmerizing display a flock of birds makes as it swoops in seeming synchronicity. There is! It’s called “murmuration,” and Bluedot editorial director Leslie Garrett wrote all about it in this In a Word column. “Murmurations have no leader and follow no plan,” she writes. Evidence indicates that each bird must keep track of seven neighbors and adjust to keep the murmuration from falling apart in a chaotic mess. Next time you’re gazing skyward and notice the phenomenon, just murmur “ah, a murmuration,” under your breath.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

–Mahatma Gandhi

We are experiencing what has been called a “polycrisis,” where multiple threats — climate, erosion of democracy and human rights, war, and others — become entangled in a way that makes the problems hard to address. It can feel overwhelming. But the solution for many of us is a simple one: Extend a helping hand to others. Bill McKibben has said that the best thing we can do right now as individuals is be a little less of an individual. He’s speaking, of course, of something Gandhi also modeled — the power of community, of refusing to give up our belief that things can be better for all of us. We can’t all be Gandhi (that’s setting the bar pretty high), but we can apply lessons from a man who organized successful movements for freedom and civil rights, who led with humility and purpose. Who reminds us that we all benefit when we serve others. And the holiday season offers up plenty of opportunities to do exactly that. 

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• Recycle Your Wine Corks

• Buffalo’s Solar-Powered Carousel

• Bluedot's Holiday Gift Guide

• My Green Job: Reproductive Scientist at the Zoo

• Dear Dot: What’s the Greenest Christmas Tree?

• Hot for Heat Pumps?

FEATURED STORIES

BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS

Looking to wrap a gift in an Earth-friendly way? Consider bee’s wrap.

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As winter settles in, NativePath’s Grass-Fed Collagen Powder is your essential ally for health and beauty. This versatile powder mixes seamlessly into warm beverages, from cozy hot cocoa to peppermint lattes. Just 2 scoops provides 18 grams of protein to support radiant skin, flexible joints, and strong hair, helping you thrive in the colder months. Enjoy the indulgence of your favorite seasonal drinks while nourishing your body from the inside out.

 Bluedot Living Kitchen

Individual Dacquoises With Berry Sauce and Shaved Dark Chocolate

Bluedot copy editor and columnist Laura D. Roosevelt tells us how her mom taught her to be a good cook. And she shares this festive-looking dacquoise (but don’t wait for the holidays to enjoy it!).

Sipping on (Zero Proof) Seedlip

If Dry January has lasted all year long, you might be seeking some alcohol-free holiday options. Look no further than Seedlip, which gathers locally sourced and intentionally harvested ingredients to properly harness the natural healing qualities of various herbs, barks, and peels. With three unique flavors, you’ll find something to quench your thirst for both a drink and an experience.

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– Illustration by Elissa Turnbull

Dear Dot,

I know the old fake Christmas trees are awful, made of petroleum products and the souls of children. But what about the new fakes, made of recycled plastic bottles? They’re good, right?

– Max

Dear Max,

So many eco-quandaries are not binary, not a matter of good vs. bad but rather better vs. not-so-better. It’s shades of green, if you will. 

One could argue (not me, because I love the holidays, but … let's say … the Grinch) that any Christmas tree is unnecessary. And, sure. But there’s something to be said for tradition, which in this case incidentally has its roots in the pagan practice of decorating one’s home with live green branches as a reminder that this cold, bleak season will give way to rebirth. 

So. Trees.

Live trees sequester carbon (yay) until they’re cut down (boo), but they’re often replaced by another one (yay), but, being smaller, it sequesters less carbon (boo). If you go live, purchase from a local vendor. Christmas trees are best thought of as seasonal crops: They are grown, then harvested, then replanted, then harvested. 

Most fake trees are indeed created from PVC (boo), though some are made of PE (slightly less boo), come from China, which means fuel for transport (boo), and often are the product of poorly paid workers in unsafe working conditions (boo). However, they can last many years (yay). When it comes time to dispose of them, they are difficult to recycle (boo). 

You note the advent of “green” fakes, made from recycled plastic (yay). But producing anything, even with recycled materials, requires the use of fossil fuels (boo). So, while a tree that makes use of recycled materials is better than one that doesn’t, it’s still not a win.

Keeping track of the “boos” and the “yays” to see what’s the winning tree? Read on.

Buy Better Marketplace: Sustainable Gift Guides  

If you purchase anything via one of our links, including from Amazon, we may earn a small commission.

Still have some shopping to do? We’ve got sustainable gift ideas for everyone on your list. 

• Gifts Under $25

• Gifts for Cooks and Food Lovers 

• Gifts for Glamorous Gals

• More Gifts for Women

• Gifts for Guys

• Gifts for Teens 

• Gifts for Kids, Babies, and Parents

• Gifts for Pets and Their People

Looking for something even more specific? Find presents for:

• Hosts

• The Person Who’s Always Cold

• (Aspiring) Yogis

• Do-It-Yourselfers

• Gardeners and Plant People

• Someone Who Needs New Undies

• Makeup Lovers (scroll for gift ideas)

• Beach Bums

The Keep-This Handbook: Hot for Heat Pumps?

As the temperature dips and our home heating systems work overtime to keep us warm (and our utility bills rise!), the time is ripe to consider the humble heat pump. There’s plenty of misinformation about heat pumps (which, when it’s hot outside, also work as AC), so let Bluedot set you straight. In short, they work great even in cold climates and are much more energy-efficient than our fossil-fuel burning systems. 

Parting Thoughts About Alternative Gifts

As recent empty nesters, we’re realizing just how much stuff we’ve accumulated over the years. Stuff that now sits — rejected and useless — in our basements. With that in mind, and with the gift-giving season upon us, we’ve become stuff-avoidant. Instead, we plan to give the gift of experiences, from cooking classes to birding workshops to museum passes, none of which will ultimately collect dust in the future.

We’re also looking through that accumulated stuff and, well, wrapping it up and passing it on. Poshmark surveyed North Americans and found that a staggering 93% are open to receiving a secondhand gift — and more than three-quarters of us plan on giving one! Including Jamie, who inherited her mother’s cardigans and found a couple special ones to give to her daughter and niece, and then framed some family pictures for her brothers. 

Do you have alternative gift ideas? Share them with us at editor@bluedotliving.com

Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you in two weeks.

–Jamie Kageleiry and Leslie Garrett

Jamie Kageleiry, a longtime magazine and newspaper editor from Martha’s Vineyard, says her favorite spot on earth is out on a kayak there, looking at birds.

Leslie Garrett has been covering climate stories for close to two decades.  She divides her time between London, Ontario, and Massachusetts. She’s still figuring out her favorite spot but it’s definitely near the water.

Sent to: _t.e.s.t_@example.com

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