I’ve been researching and brainstorming ideas for a more sustainable way of celebrating the holidays and I’m going to share them with you on this last day of November. Consider incorporating one or all of these ideas into your holidays.

Lighting:

If you don’t already have a fortune invested in outdoor lights, or you’re willing to make the change - try LED Christmas lights. Easily found at most of the big-name hardware stores, they are 80% more efficient and last up to 20 years. Best of all, their vivid colors and shapes can be more fun than traditional lights. At the very least, use a timer to keep your lights from staying on past peak “cheer” hours.

Trees:

This is a hard one - is it better to cut down a live tree or buy a plastic tree? My research has informed me that most Christmas tree farmers plant 2 trees for every 1 cut down. And without Christmas tree farmers, would the millions of trees planted for their farms exist? No. Their existence is good and the trees spend about 7 to 15 years in the ground keeping hillsides from eroding and sucking carbon from the air before they adorn a home for the holidays. Also, most cities offer special disposal of live trees, they are made into mulch or compost and returned to nature. Plastic trees on the other hand, are not biodegradable and they are made from petroleum. If you do have a fake tree, use it for years and years and when you tire of it, please donate it to Goodwill, that is a great way to recycle unwanted items back into society instead of to a dump. Another option would be using a potted live tree and returning it outdoors after the holiday - although you risk killing it if you don’t take proper care.

Ornaments:

I found one website offering green “baubles” for Christmas decorations, although they don’t explain how these items are sustainable and they looked like glass balls. Common sense tells me that natural materials are better than plastics, so stick to them. Also, if you keep the same beautiful ornaments on your tree year after year, isn’t that recycling enough? And if you tire of your ornaments and want a new look, please donate them to Goodwill instead of throwing them in the garbage.

Wrapping Paper:

Be creative as you wrap gifts this year. I invested in a set of decorated boxes about 5 years ago, and they get re-used each year. If you are giving a gift outside of your immediate family, use a gift bag (which can be re-used) and put a note on it, letting people know that you’d appreciate if they saved the bag and used it again. I save all gift bags that come into my house and each gets re-used. Other ideas include wrapping gifts with newspaper or magazines. I saw an article that suggested wrapping gifts in scarves, which I thought was cute since scarves can be found in a variety of price ranges. Here’s another idea, put the gift in a re-usable bag (They often sell at grocery stores for $.99 each) and place a note on the bag requesting the person use the bag when shopping.

Shopping:

It seems such a waste to collect all the paper and plastic bags as you shop for that endless list of gifts. This year, bring re-usable bags with you to the mall. Use a different set for groceries. I find mine easier to use since the handles are longer, I can slip it over my shoulder for easy carrying.

Cards:

This is a difficult one. I’m not ready to give up my paper cards. I’m an old-fashioned gal that loves sending and receiving mail. If you’re up for it, send email cards or use a website where friends and family can visit a short photo album with a few notes from you describing your family’s achievements for the year.

Festivities:

Most of us have no choice but to entertain during the holidays and some of us actually enjoy it. Either way, forgo using throw-away plates and cups, get out the china, silverware and glasses. When it’s time for clean-up, don’t let the water run as you rinse. Either fill the sink and rinse there or let your energy efficient dishwasher do the work for you.

I hope that you have a very Merry and Green Holiday Season!