10 Environmentally Friendly Easter Ideas

Every holiday represents an environmental challenge for me. Easter is no different.  

I walked the aisles of Target trying to find alternatives to the usual items and to no avail. Everything was overly packaged and plastic, sugar-laden and disposable.  And, yes, to some extent that is just part of the holidays. They are affordable choices for families wanting to celebrate without breaking the bank. But I believe you can do better and still make environmentally friendly choices.

1. Dying Easter eggs the natural way. My daughter and I used an egg coloring kit by Eco-Kids. If you are really adventurous, you can try to do it yourself.  What's Cooking with Kids has a great post about dying eggs naturally.
2. Forgo the Easter basket in favor of handmade gifts for family and friends.  We had an idea for an easy thing to do as a family: planting organic vegetables in cute little pails we bought at Target.  Armstrong in Laguna Niguel sells organic vegetables that are already grown, and it's easy to transplant them.  
3. Reusable baskets for your Easter gifts.  Opt for reusable  baskets or even baskets you already have around the house.  Don't forget: Reuse is one of the three "R"s.
4. Real grass or shredded newspaper for your Easter basket grass.
5. Alternatives to the usual chocolate candy.  Trader Joe's has some great Easter candy made with real sugar rather than corn syrup and artificial colors. Its organic lollipops are the best!  Henry's and Mother's Markets also has great organic alternatives.
6. Making Easter eggs that last forever, or at least more than one Easter.  There are many different ideas, from sewing Easter eggs that you can hide, to buying papier mâché eggs. Crafting World has some amazing ideas for making your own reusable Easter eggs.
7. Reuse home items for Easter egg holders.  You can use toilet paper tubes and decorate them to be egg holders.  They can be cut into half or thirds and colored by the kids.  They are so easy and fun.  Here are some crafts for your left over egg cartons.
8. Non-candy treats for the Easter baskets.  Pencils, natural finger paints and art supplies are great alternatives.  Target has recycled notepads for drawing. My daughter can't get enough of them, and we always recycle the artwork she doesn't keep.  Amazon has a section for green toys.
9. Books! Aliso Viejo Friends of the Library has great deals on books for kids, and it supports our library.  New books are also a great idea for Easter baskets, and we always donate them when done.
10. Baking your Easter treats.  Homemade muffins, cupcakes and breads are a great gift for neighbors and family—and can be made naturally.  Target has an adorable cakelet pan shaped like backyard bugs. They are fun to decorate and great to share.

Do-it-yourself is the best green way to celebrate any holiday.  Ditch the prepackaged and overly packaged candies, baskets and gifts for simpler choices for your family.  This is one of the easiest and best ways to "green" your Easter.  I know that Charlotte and I enjoyed coloring our eggs and gardening for our Easter gifts. As a bonus, we bought ladybugs to let go in our garden for natural pest control.

Check out the photos of our adventures in a green Easter, and share some of your own ideas.