With the holiday season upon us, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s Planning & Environmental Affairs Department put together some eco-friendly holiday tips to help you reduce your environmental footprint in the coming month.

• Buy small and local or purchase an eco-friendly gift. Buying local and small can reduce your carbon footprint and support your community. If you want to purchase online, consider shopping Etsy to connect with artists from across the country—and receive carbon neutral shipping!
• Recycle or reuse wrapping paper by wrapping presents using old maps, newspapers, or children’s artwork that are fully recyclable (unlike the shiny traditional stuff). Have some scarfs/bandanas lying around? Try out the furoshiki method for wrapping this year and embrace reusable wrapping.
• Give the gift of experiences rather than material objects. Concert tickets, cooking classes, and tourist-related Groupons can reduce waste and be a great way to make memories together.
• Recycle your old electronics if you receive a new phone or tablet, don’t forget to recycle the old one. Visit WasteFreeSD for help finding a place to recycle.
• Use energy-saving LED holiday lights and timers. The holidays often result in higher electricity usage…use less with LED lights and timers that turn off your lights after a certain hour or amount of time.
• Use natural decorations. You can compost them when the season is over.
• Set the table with reusable dishes and utensils, rather than disposables to prevent waste.
• Add organic and local foods to your holiday feast and buy/make only what you need. Local, organic food is better for the environment. Cooking for the right number of folks prevents food waste.
• Donate unwanted, unexpired pantry items to the food bank. Donate the cans that have been collecting dust in your pantry to feed others and clean out space in your home.
• Donate time or money to environmental causes.
• Carpool to holiday events to save gas and emissions.
• Try out public transit, and the SAN’s NEW electric shuttle, The San Diego Flyer! The new shuttle is all-electric, zero-emission, and connects the Old Town Transit Center’s buses, trains, and trolleys to our terminals—and it’s free! Learn more in our recent blog post.
• Offset your holiday travel. Balance out the environmental impact of your flights using The Good Traveler that invests in certified carbon reduction projects.
• Make an eco-friendly New Year’s resolution. Want to produce less waste or use less gas, electricity, or water? The New Year holiday provides an excellent opportunity to commit to eco-friendly habits throughout 2022.

From all of us at San Diego International Airport, wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year!