Greening Your December Holidays

It is not so hard being green in Hungary, even if your Hungarian language skills are very basic. For an environmental activist or the woman-on-the-street in Hungary, it is not so difficult or unrealistic to live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle without seeming radical or spending a fortune. In many ways, it is easier to lead an environmentally-friendly lifestyle here than in the US. People often stare in astonishment when I admit that I have been here for 20 years - "god, why?!," they ask. Unlike the US, Hungary has among other things, a great public transport system, reusable bottles, an extensive national park system, and almost everywhere in Europe is less than a 24-hour train ride away.

Regardless of my name, I am not a back-to-basics, Walden Pond-type.  I am an environmental activist who tries to live as environmentally-friendly as possible, but who still loves his wifi and washing machine. However, all my appliances are A+ rated for energy and water efficiency and come from companies that do not work with the nuclear industry. I ride my bike everywhere, and Budapest held the largest Critical Mass in the world last year with 80000 participants. Where are you people daily? Imagine the voting power and impact on the environment you could have for better public transport and bike lanes? I completely switch off all appliances when not in use, including the stand-by light. Some electronic goods like adsl modems do not even come with off-switches anymore! The stand-by lights on TVs in the US, just TVs, not videos, or DVD players, stereos, monitors etc., use up as much energy as one nuclear power plant produces each year and the TVs are not even turned on! In order to make this easier, I have my stuff plugged into extension cords with master/slave switches so I can completely switch off everything at once. I bring my own textile bags shopping and refuse plastic bags from shops. I use a water siphon at home with reusable CO2 cartridges (10 liters for 70 huf, and no waste). When goods break, I get them repaired rather than buy a new one. Thankfully there are still quite a few small repair shops around.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Greff Elektronika (V. ker, Bank u. 1, M-F 8-17, tel: 332-8083) for electronic goods.
• Shoe repair with the old lady in the courtyard of Izabella u. 73 or 75, "Cipesz" (ground floor across the courtyard).
• At 1067 Csengery u. 36, there is Magda Szabo, a nice, quick tailor/seamstress who is often open late for emergency repairs. Tel: 1-342-6594
• There is also good zipper repair near Ferenciek tere in the courtyard by the church (czipzar).

Organic vegetables are widely available in Hungary, the biggest market behind the 12^th District Cultural House Csörsz utca just moved. It is now in the Congress Center parking lot on Jagelló út on Saturdays. However, there are at least two organic vegetable box delivery systems in Budapest that are great value for money (Nyitottkert Alapitvany and The Szatyor) in which you are buying direct from the farmer. Furthermore, I buy products without batteries, and if they have them, I make sure to use reusable batteries in them (up to 1000 uses, just do the math on the cost of your kid's toys just in terms of batteries). Energy efficient compact florescent light bulbs save 80% on your electricity bill and last up to 10-times longer than normal incandescent. However, I also look at which company produces the bulbs because I try to avoid any company connected with the nuclear industry.

I am not sure how popular a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle is in Hungary, but with 80 organic shops, over 1500 organic farms, several eco-utopian villages and hundreds of NGOs, something is happening. It all comes down to a lifestyle choice. If you want to go completely back to basics, that's groovy. I make my choices based on what is best for me, and for the long-term good of the environment and social justice. Other people make their choices based solely price. I'm not perfect, but I try to do the best I can; and if we all do that much for a change, that can add up to a lot.

Greening Your Holidays

• Give a certificate saying "no gift necessary"
• Rent a reusable live Christmas tree from Oazis Garden Center
• Jug-style water filter
• Energy-efficient light bulbs
• Extension cords with master/slave switches
• Organic Fair Trade chocolate! www.treehuggerdans.com
• Give an organic vegetable box from an organic farm like the Open Garden Foundation or Satyor 
• Make a book of tickets for your loved-one with "services" you can render: erotic massage, a movie, romantic dinner at restaurant of his/her choice, walk in the woods, baby sitting...
• Reusable textile bags or woven shopping baskets
• Buy gifts without batteries (like a self-winding watch) or with rechargeable batteries
• Rechargeable batteries with charger
• For bigger purchases, make sure the goods are rates A+ in both water and energy conservation; or a vacuum with a reusable bag
• Insulate their windows for them and help them save 15-20% on their heating bills through Okoszolgalat (Ecoservice). You can cheaply rent a machine from this NGO that cuts grooves in your wooden windows for the insulation strips. The machine (marogep) rental costs 6000 huf for 3.5 days, 10000 huf deposit. Insulation costs 180 huf/meter. 1051 Budapest, Nádor u. 34. Fsz. 2, Tel: 06 1 311 7855, 06 20 519 80 81, okosz@okoszolgalat.hu Open M-Th 8-17, F 8-15. Available from several NGOs in other Hungarian cities - see list on website.
  
• Get something repaired for them, like a leaking tap, trousers, DVD player...
• A hiking map or bicycle map for the Buda Hills, Pilis, Aggtelek, Balaton...
• Oázis Garden Center offers potted deposit-return Christmas trees this year at Budapest's Santa Factory (Mikulásgyár) next to the Műcsarnok (Felvonulási tér) 10:00-22:00 between December 6-24. Trees may be returned between January 2-8 to the same place with the original receipt. Customers receive credit at any Oaszis Garden Center equal to 50% of the tree cost. The trees cost between 4000-7000 huf.
• A bike
• Monthly or annual public transport ticket
  

Portions of this will be reprinted in Think! Magazine in December.