The Only Man Who Can Travel 510 Million Kilometers Overnight Without Emissions

Let’s give it up for the OG low-carbon traveler: Santa. While the rest of us are trying to remember whether we turned the oven off, or if Aunt Deb is going to make another racist comment during Christmas dinner, Santa is cruising around the world on a sleigh powered by oats and fairy dust (Raindeer). But let’s say, for fun, that you had to take on Santa’s job. You’re delivering gifts to 100 million households in one night (a conservative estimate if you’re covering just Christian households globally).

No reindeer. No sleigh. Just the transportation systems we know and love and hate. How would that go?

If you used a plane:

• CO2 per gift: 1.3kg
• Total emissions: 130 million kg CO2
• That’s the equivalent of you flying from New York to London 200,000

If you used a car:

• CO2 per gift: 0.9 kg
• Total emissions: 90 million kg CO2
• The equivalent of every single Philadelphia resident flying from Philadelphia to Europe.

If you used a train:

• CO2 per gift: 0.2 kg
• Total emissions: 20 million kg CO2
• Roughly the same as charging every iPhone in the US daily for one year.

If you’re Santa:

• CO2 per gift: 0
• Santa’s sleigh is powered by carrots, cookies, and the guilt of tiny children trying to get off the naughty list.
• Reindeer emit methane, but it’s only one night and nine animals. Let’s get some perspective here, people!

Image: Christy Dawn

Sustainable Wrapping That Doesn’t Look Like Sad Newspaper

How lame is it when you have your presents, they’re thoughtfully chosen and locally made and definitely not fast fashion (Santa’s watching), but you wrap it in simple conventional wrapping paper that’s going straight to the landfill?

Here’s how to wrap without wrecking:

If You Do Want Conventional Wrapping Paper

Make it recycled. The Good Trade has great options.

Image: London Penny

Ditch the Glitter:

If it sparkles, it’s likely made with plastic that will get into literally everything.

Image: Christy Dawn

Wrap With What You Have:

Brown kraft paper, old maps, newspapers, sheet music, or even old kids art? Reuse gift bags or boxes from years past.

Try Furoshiki (Fabric Wrapping):

Use scarves, tea towels, no tape, no waste.

Commit to Recycle the Right Way:

Splurge for a Terracycle box for wrapping paper and send it off on the 26th.

Image: Terracycle

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