Gwendolyn Sobkowiak | staff writer

It’s November, so as any reasonable Catholic university would, Duquesne has already released this Christmas season upon our still leaf-strewn campus.

My roommates and I have been discussing seasonal decorating in a feverish attempt to survive the winter blues. Our first instinct was to head over to the Target in East Liberty.

The halls of every retailer are spilling over right now with brand new, kitschy and mass produced plastic, just like last year and the year before that. As excited as I get by decorating, my stomach started hurting thinking about how most of the stuff I would buy this year would probably be thrown out by the time I graduated and left my current apartment. The final college dorm clean out is very real, and anger inducing.

It’s also not very eco-friendly.

It’s not that I don’t want well-decorated student housing. It’s just the thought of all my sparkly resin ornaments piling up in an ever enlarging dump and never decomposing, along with a million others, kind of freaks me out. I’d like it if I were able to celebrate life, light and community in a way that didn’t burden our planet so much.

If you’re anything like me and love holiday decorating but hate the idea of adding more junk to our ever expanding landfills, here’s some ideas that I’ve seen floating around, ranked.

Finding stuff on Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, etc. (1/10)

These kinds of sites have always been a real hit or miss for me. I’m not willing to go more than 20 miles for a box of neon pink hippo ornaments, sorry. Then again, I’m not willing to pay $20 for shipping either.

Regardless, you’re kind of at the mercy of what Uncle Randy thinks his molding plastic tree is worth, and most times, he and I are not able to agree on the price. I fear shopping for Christmas decorations here during the holiday season isn’t really improving the price point or options. These are all definitely great off-season options though.

Making your own decor (6/10)

Seriously, have you ever tried to make a salt-dough ornament yourself? Just about every sustainable decorating guide I came across had them front and center. Maybe I’m the problem, but mine have never dried fully. I think if I crack the stars I made last year in half they’d still be doughy in the center. Whatever — they’re a fun idea if you roll them thin enough and really, they are incredibly cheap. As with most DIY decorations, the true cost is your time. It’s really fun and rewarding to make decorations if you have the patience and creativity. Plus, chances are you’re more likely to hold onto the beautiful wreath you poured your heart and soul into than the plastic evergreens at CVS that are already starting to come apart on the shelf. It just takes more effort than exchanging cash for some plastic tinsel.

I’m hoping to convince my friends to join in on a night of bow garland crafting from the leftover ribbon I have in my craft box. It could be a really meaningful bit of seasonal bonding if it works out.

Family Heirlooms (7/10)

Okay, I don’t mean to help yourself to the candy-cane patterned Lenox Village decor that your grandma has on her mantle. I mean like asking your family if there are any decorations they don’t use much or are hoping to get rid of. It’s a good way to carry on family traditions and refocus the holiday season on community instead of consumption.

The lower score isn’t based on quality, it has more to do with accessibility. This option can be hard for people whose families don’t live nearby. However, it could always be something you stockpile for next year.

Whatever you end up receiving will probably be more meaningful than a boxful of Walmart stockings. Plus, you’ll be taking the burden of clutter off of someone you love. It saves you from accumulating worthless junk and them from disposing of items they no longer put to good use. It’s a super sustainable option all around.

Thrifting (8/10)

This one is my personal favorite, but I docked points since I’m a biased judge. I absolutely love thrifting. It gives me the same thrill of purchasing without the deep, existential dread that shopping at Target has recently been giving me. This stuff was already headed for the landfill, I’m basically rescuing it at this point.

Personally, I’m not big on Goodwill or curated vintage stores. But I absolutely love the adrenaline rush of treasure hunting at the Red White and Blue Thrift Store, the Goodwill bins or sometimes even Trader Jack’s Flea Market. If the sensory overwhelm or unvetted items stacked haphazardly on top of each other isn’t your vibe, that’s okay too. Start with some consignment shops or antique stores. There’s a lot of very nice things to adorn your dorm this holiday season just waiting to be uncovered.

Buying mindfully (10/10)

Okay, so maybe the other options didn’t convince you. It’s hard to unsell convenience when it really is that easy to buy mass-produced, prepackaged holiday cheer. If we’re going to buy stuff from the big chains, then let’s at least pick something that lasts and that we’ll use for years to come. I try to avoid Styrofoam as it’s prone to cracking and creating microplastics. Wood, felt and fabric decor are more sustainably disposed of in most cases. Try picking things that could be used for years to come or otherwise sustainably disposed of. Plastic tinsel has got to be something we phase out of use. String lights, reusable Christmas trees and plastic ornaments aren’t inherent evils to be avoided. I’m just trying to think more about if it’s something I’m going to want in 10, five or even just one year from now.

Am I going to want all this stuff in my living room when I’m 50? It’s easy to feel like we can always just throw it out or donate it if it really isn’t something we want anymore. But out of sight just means out of our minds.

As the Netflix documentary “Buy Now!: The Shopping Conspiracy,” puts it, “There is no away.” Everything ends up somewhere, and most of this stuff is ending up polluting our planet once it leaves our hands. Our discarded Christmas merriment ends up somewhere. On a scale of one to 500 years, how long will I really be needing all of these brand new plastic ornaments?

Gwendolyn Sobkowiak can be reached at sobkowiakg@duq.edu