In A Christmas Carol, Jacob Marley's ghost pays a Christmas Eve visit to his former partner Ebeneezer Scrooge to warn him of the torment awaiting in the afterlife.  Marley speaks of his own suffering penance for his deeds in life and implores Scrooge to change while there is still time.  Scrooge's reaction, of course, is to deny the reality of what he sees and hears with his own eyes and ears.  He is spooked, but persistent in his denial of the apparition before him.   Thankfully, for Scrooge, Marley's ghost is not yet done with him.  And a magical journey in one night ultimately changes the life of Ebeneezer Scrooge and transforms the world around him.

How did that happen?  And what is the lesson for those of us seeking to persuade family and friends to join us in striving to avert a different unpleasant fate.  One manifesting itself as our climate crisis.

If you’re reading this, odds are climate and environmental responsibility are important to you.  And with public opinion polls showing 75% of Americans are alarmed, concerned, or cautious about climate change, you likely have family and friends on your shopping list who would appreciate a thoughtful  gift given with sustainability in mind.
 
But shopping, wrapping, and getting gifts to loved ones on time is stressful enough!  Won’t fretting over environmental impact make that even harder?
 
It’s actually easier than you may think, and Sustainable Newton is here to break down the terms and offer up some environmentally sound gift ideas for the holidays. Let’s start by identifying some items that contribute to waste and often go ignored.