For many people the holidays are a time of excess. Excessive drinking, excessive eating (I had three desserts at Thanksgiving…), excessive shopping, et cetera. And every holiday season that amounts to a 25% increase in landfill waste. With this in mind, I’ve compiled a short list to help make your holidays a little greener and in turn give a gift to mother earth.

(From guest blogger Rachel Menozzi from www.greenhabdesign.com)

1. Replace old Christmas lights with LEDs. They use 90% less energy and last ten times longer. And while you’re at it, use a timer so you’re not wasting energy during daylight hours or while everyone is asleep. You can still pick up some last minute GE EnergySmart Indoor/Outdoor Lights.

2. Send your holiday cards and family newsletters via e-mail and consider e-vites for parties to avoid sending all that paper to the landfill. If you need to mail the real thing, make sure they’re made of recycled or FSC certified paper.

3. Gift wrap is a big waste during the holidays. Instead, reuse gift bags and boxes. My mom never fills out the little card attached with this in mind. You can also use saved wrapping from the year before or be creative and use old magazines and newspapers lying around the house.

4. When deciding what presents to get, opt for those with less packaging. Gift certificates, concert tickets and charitable donations are great ways to reduce waste.

5. For toys requiring batteries, go with rechargeable. We recommend the Sony Quick Battery Charger.The newer ones have three times the capacity of the earlier versions and are very efficient. And when those toys are outgrown, make it a holiday tradition to donate them.

6. When shopping for all those gifts, try to plan ahead what you’re going to get to avoid aimlessly driving between shopping centers. Also bring your own tote to carry the goods or ask for a large bag at your first purchase and consolidate the rest. Also, refuse any holiday gift boxes if they’re not necessary.

7. For those holiday parties, buy organic and local foods. It will be fresh and in season, which makes for a great traditional spread. And try cutting your grocery list by 20%- that’s how much is usually wasted during the holidays.

8. If you’re traveling over the holidays, consider which travel method has the lowest carbon emissions. If you’re going a long distance, taking the bus is the best alternative. Tied for second are boarding a train or driving a car with high fuel efficiency such as a Prius. Unfortunately, for long distances, driving an average fuel economy car is just about as bad as flying. However, for shorter distances (300 miles or so) take the car over the plane. Short flights have the highest carbon emissions per mile.

9. And finally, if you’re going to get a tree, go with the real deal. Artificial trees consume significant energy and use a polyvinyl chloride (which emits a number of carcinogens) during manufacturing. Fake Christmas trees also contain lead in order to make the needles more malleable and 85% of these trees are imported from China. Furthermore, artificial trees are not biodegradable and cannot be recycled.

When picking out a real tree, make sure the tree comes from a local grower. Tree farms replace each cut tree and therefore forests aren’t being hurt. Many cities also offer tree recycling programs to turn it into mulch or chips. Go to earth911.com to see what’s offered in your area.

Some folks are even opting to replant their trees after the holidays. You can buy a tree with the roots in tact and wrapped in burlap. Another option, if you don’t have a yard or the ground is frozen, is to purchase a smaller, potted tree and keep it year round. That’s what I plan on doing – just one of the many steps I’m taking to make my Christmas a little greener.

Image courtesy of sustainablemelbourne.com

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