The holiday season is often so frenzied that it seems difficult to focus on anything more than gift shopping and get-togethers. But with a little planning, you can be green year-round. Practice these “recycle, reduce and reuse” tips this season to save money and our planet!
Shopping
 Grab a green tote
Purchase a reusable, recyclable bag for your holiday shopping at local grocers or merchants.
Check your list twice
Plan your shopping trips to maximize time and fuel. Instead of wandering from mall to mall, make a list of gift ideas and consolidate your shopping.
Entertaining
Cozy up
Turn down the thermostat in your home before guests arrive for a holiday party. Their body heat will keep your house toasty warm.
Get dressy
Instead of buying a brand-new dress or suit to wear to the office party, consider shopping at high-end consignment stores, where you’ll get more for your money.
Control portions
Save yourself the extra time, money and waste by remembering to keep portion sizes reasonable when throwing a party.
Nourish your garden
Instead of throwing away leftovers after a big party, compost them in your backyard for an inexpensive, earth-happy fertilizer.
Décor
Deck the halls
Decorate your tree and home with energy-efficient LED lights that will help reduce your energy bills.
Salvage and reuse
Wrap gifts in newspaper or reusable tins, baskets or boxes. If a piece of wrapping paper is still in good shape after you unwrap a gift, tuck it away for next year.
Get crafty
Look for holiday cards that contain recycled content, or have a little fun making your own.
Use perfect timing
Set a timer on your holiday lights and the neighbors might get a little more shut-eye without the red and green brilliance shining through their windows.
Recycle your tree
After the decorations come down, check Earth911 for ways to recycle your Christmas tree.
Gift giving
Add a dash of love
Give homemade gifts, such as cookies, bread, jams, a plant or a tree.
Make a wish list
Exchange gift preferences with close family members and friends to reduce waste, not to mention trips to the store for returns.
Think outside the gift box
Choose gifts that don’t create waste, such as concert or movie tickets.
Support a cause
For the person who has everything, make a donation to a cause you know they’ll support – like saving the rainforest – and suggest others do the same for you.
Send a green card
For $12, send a holiday card from NativeEnergy that offsets a ton of carbon dioxide by funding alternative power.
Recycle responsibly
Donate or recycle old electronics, clothing and household items if you receive new ones as gifts.
Reuse packaging
Save packaging materials – such as boxes, foam peanuts and shredded paper – from gifts sent to you and use them next year.
Make your own wrapping paper
Most wrapping paper is not recyclable, so instead wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper or children’s artwork. According to the Sierra Club, if every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields!
Travel
Improve mileage
Before going over the river and through the woods, tune your engine and inflate your tires for better gas mileage.
Use e-tickets
For flights and other transportation, use electronic tickets instead of paper ones. You might even do the same for sports events and other entertainment.
Stop the presses
Ask your newspaper to stop delivery while you’re on vacation, or see if it’s possible to donate the papers to schools or other organizations.
Biofuel up
If you’re renting a car during an out-of-town trip, ask about alternative fuel vehicles or hybrids.
Stay green
Check with the Green Hotels Association for environmentally responsible hotels. |
