Happy Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in my family, and it is one of the most vibrant and widely celebrated holidays in the world. It brings together communities, traditions, and rich cultural festivities. However, it can have some not very prosperous effects on the environment. From fireworks and feasts to decorations and red envelopes, the holiday can generate a significant amount of waste and pollution. But don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to celebrate while keeping the planet in mind!

Fireworks🎆

Setting off fireworks is a major tradition, and it symbolizes the warding off of evil. However, this releases pollutants like sulfur dioxide and heavy metals into the air, contributing to the contamination of the surrounding environment and harming respiratory health. A great alternative is drone light shows! These high-tech, colorful displays are just as dazzling and produce no pollution. If fireworks are a must, consider attending a community display instead of setting off your own to reduce waste.

Feasts🥟

Lunar New Year feasts are legendary with heaps of dumplings, noodles, and delicious cultural dishes -- but they can also lead to a lot of food waste. Whether you are helping cook at a community function or just eating with family, make sure to:

• Plan portions wisely so you don’t cook more than necessary. Having to make more food is better than having a ton left over that no one wants to eat.

• Save leftovers and get creative with recipes for the next days of celebration.

• Compost food scraps to reduce landfill waste (and check out my blog post on composting).

• Donate excess food to local shelters or food banks if possible. (Please do not give your mushy, half-eaten platters to the less-fortunate.)
  

Decorations 🎊

Many Lunar New Year decorations, like lanterns and banners, are made from plastic and tossed after the holiday. You can sustainably fill your house with good fortune by using:

• DIY decorations using recycled materials. Newspaper crafts? Paper towel rolls? Plastic cups? Endless possibilities!

• Fabric banners that can be reused each year (not to say that plastic and paper decorations can't be reused too).

• Composting plants that you use to decorate after the festivities are over -- or looking into artificial plants that you can reuse annually!

Red Envelopes🧧

Trading red envelopes filled with money is one of the most beloved and fun traditions of the new year, but millions of these durable and beautifully designed packets are disposed of after barely any use. Aside from just reusing the envelopes after the gifts inside have been collected, look into eco-friendly envelopes made from sustainable materials. Some companies even make plantable red envelopes embedded with seeds! Another cool alternative are digital red envelopes sent through social platforms like WeChat —they keep the tradition alive without using materials at all.

Celebrating Lunar New Year in a sustainable way doesn’t mean giving up the fun -- it means we are celebrating culture and ushering in good luck all while saving our environment! Small, mindful changes in our festivities can preserve the traditions for generations to come. To all who are celebrating the new year of the Snake, I hope you are all having a wonderful time with your loved ones, and I'm wishing you lots of good fortune and prosperity! What are you doing to make your Lunar New Year more eco-friendly? Tell me about the celebrations at luanniewang@gmail.com and Stay Sustainable!