How Green Santa offsets his carbon trudge mark

As Mpumalanga experiences increased heat, violent storms and greater risk of drought, fire, flooding, tornados, water shortages and a host of climate-related social disasters, Green Santa offers a few suggestions for some possible gifts we might give back to the suffocating Earth during the Season of Spending.

To offset our personal and collective carbon footprint, Green Santa’s elves wish everyone a carbon-mild festive season and offer a few reminders and suggestions for those who care about climate change, species extinction and all that not-so-Christmassy stuff.

– Holiday locally or stay at home and take up walking, but at all costs, if it’s not too late, humanity must forsake that most Earth-damaging of all human purchases, the airplane ticket.

– Give an indigenous tree sapling (or three, or ten) to your loved ones, and plant one for yourself.

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A few locally indigenous trees you might consider are: Lavender Tree, Wild Peach, Pompon Tree, White pear, Cheesewood, River Indigo, Tree Wisteria, Natal Mahogany and Jackalberry ebony.

For small to medium gardens: Tree Fuschia, September Bush and Cape Holly are a great beginning.

– Be water-wise. Take shorter showers and avoid the bath! If you have the luxury of a pool, make the extra effort to cover it when not in use. Save for a JoJo, if that’s possible.

– Re-gifting is not a miser’s answer to Christmas. It is a blessing, since every single item we buy contributes to global warming and the cataclysm of climate change. So take that box of diabetic-coated chocolates or unwanted clothing item you were given by an unwitting relative or friend, and give it to someone you love.

– Support and join local wildlife conservation organisations, NGOs, NPO’s and animal sanctuaries with your time, donations and leisure spending.

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– 40% of our Christmas food costs come from the transportation of all those delectable Christmas yummies, especially if they come from far away, by ship or plane usually. It’s ludicrous to buy Scottish salmon or Brazilian beef when we have Dullstroom trout and the best beef in the world on our doorstep.

Buying imported foods contributes to our deepening fossil fuel nightmare. Rather buy local and so cut down on carbon emissions of long haul imports while at the same time supporting local economic recovery directly.

Now that we all face climate change and its disastrous effect on our weather systems and water security, we can all give something back, each in our small and large ways.

Mostly importantly, says Green Santa, wherever you go and wherever you be, be happy and safe.