Not the St Patricks’ Day way, the treading lightly for the environment way. As they say, every little bit helps … so here are 5 easy ways to green your Easter:
1. Ditch Unnecessary Wrapping
Easter is one of the biggest holidays for chocolates and other types of sweets. These sweets are often wrapped in plastic and cardboard in addition to foil around chocolate Easter eggs for example. Make choices that avoid unnecessary extra packing in addition to taking your own shopping bags. Go for minimal wrapping or buy in bulk. Even better, make your own, like these chocolate Easter eggs or this lovely Easter Lamb Cake.
2. The Easter Basket Case
Each Easter, when I was a child, my parents brought out the same Easter baskets & beautifully decorated cardboard eggs to fill them with treats and hide in the house and garden. It was a great tradition we looked forward to and an excellent example of recycling. I inherited some of the decorations so has my sister who in turn has used them with her children. So if you aren’t doing that already, why not start a tradition? Baskets and eggs made of natural materials are most suitable as they are more durable and seem to be getting nicer as they age. Children will come to expect their special basket, tin or paper egg container each year, making it part of a holiday tradition.
3. Egg Colouring
Easter without Easter eggs is unthinkable. So when it comes to colouring your organic free range eggs try and avoid colouring kits that contain undesirable chemicals. Why not make your own colouring kit using plant-based dyes? Spinach, beetroots, turmeric, paprika, blueberries and red cabbage create beautiful spring colours on egg shells without affecting the edible part of the eggs. Check out these ideas for natural dyeing of your Easter eggs.
4. Easter Treats
Surprise, surprise. You don’t only have to give chocolate and Easter eggs. Easter is NOT all about food. There is an entirely different message open for discovery even for the non-religious who are just recharging their batteries over the public holidays. Easter is about the cycle of life and renewal, it’s about the need for sacrifice and hope to achieve positive change. Not exactly light fare but a good starting point for a discussion about the meaning of life…
5. Show Your Love for Easter Bunnies
The Easter bunny is the prime Easter symbol and terribly cute. It is joined by fluffy chicks and lambs in all shapes and forms. They are lovely baby animals much doted over by their parents, but many won’t get a chance to grow up. The majority of Easter menus will consist of roast lamb, chicken and the occasional rabbit stew. Doesn’t that seem ironic? In addition, bunnies are routinely used in cosmetic testing. So why not go meat free this Easter and give these iconic Easter animals a break? And join Animals Australia ‘Be Sweet to Bunnies this Easter‘ initiative with their own line up of 5 things you can do to celebrate cruelty free Easter!
And the list could go on! And not only are these simple steps good for our planet, they are good for health and spirit!
Happy Easter!
