Ep 132: The Impact of Holiday Cards And What to Send Instead

To Christmas card or not to Christmas card? That is a question I have been pondering this year and I find myself in a strange situation.

Last year, I declared it would be a year of adulting and I swore I would finally stick to doing adult things like remembering people’s birthdays and sending annual holiday cards. But, when I started to examine the cards we received this year, I realized that there had to be a big environmental impact from our obsession with sending so many cards.

I mean, there’s the paper, the guilt about what to do with the cards after the holiday season is over, the cost associated with buying the cards, the struggle to get a photo everyone likes, and the shipping from one side of the globe to the other.

It’s a hassle for us, but my research showed me it’s worse for our planet.

So, did I decide to send cards this year? And if not, what am I doing instead? You’ll have to listen to this week’s episode of Wannabe Minimalist to find out.

This episode of Wannabe Minimalist will also help you discover:

The full lifecycle of producing paper holiday cards
How many Christmas cards are sent each year in the U.S. and U.K.
The environmental impact of physical cards
5 alternatives to a physical paper card
How emails compare to paper cards

Helpful Links:

some of these may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links I may get paid a small amount. I stand by my recommendations. Thank you for supporting this podcast.

Links mentioned in this episode (some may be affiliate links):

Do Christmas Cards Damage the Environment?

Should We Stop Sending Christmas Cards?

Brightly.eco: Environmental Impact of Christmas Cards

Exeter University Report – Carbon Footprint of a Greetings Card

Christmas Cards in the U.S. om/hallmark-news/christmas-cards/

The Carbon Footprint of Email vs Postal Mail

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