Make it
A Green Holiday Season

The holidays are a time for giving. Everyone should add the earth to their holiday gift lists.

Holiday time can be a season of joy, but also a season of excess. This makes it all the more important for the public to make conservation efforts whenever it is possible. Having a happy holiday can also mean having a green holiday. Here are some ideas for furthering green efforts.

Trimming green: Christmas trees and wreaths are a big part of holiday decor. Depending upon whether a person chooses an artificial variety or a real one, smart usage and disposal are key. On the surface it would seem real trees are more environmentally friendly. But once the season is over, discarded trees become a large part of landfill material. Also, some people fail to remove all of the plastic ornaments or lights from trees, and this can be an environmental hazard. Live trees can be beneficial if they are composted after the season and used for landscaping purposes. Artificial trees are made from plastic, which is a product of oil. Making these trees and other plastic products will produce carbon emissions and other environmental contaminants. However, artificial decor can be reused every year. When lighting up the home, be conscious of energy usage. Less could be more in these situations, especially if it helps the environment.

Wrapping green: Wrapping paper, ribbon, cards and bows are beautiful to look at. But they accumulate to tons of waste. According to Green Star, if every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. And approximately 2.65 billion Christmas cards are sold each year in the U.S. These cards could fill a football field 10 stories high. Reusing wrapping paper, ribbons and bows is a good way to reduce waste. Save holiday cards from last year and use the decorative front of the card as a label for this year's gifts. Also, think about skipping wrapping paper for reusable items such as stockings, gift bags, fabric and any other materials from around the house.

Entertaining green: What would the holidays be without parties, dinners and company? Avoiding excess waste at these functions can make them more environmentally friendly. Work with vendors and sites that use linens and china to avoid disposable serviceware waste. Plan food and beverages wisely so that there isn't much left over. Reports indicate that more than 100 pounds of extra food per person is disposed of each year. Encourage people to take home leftovers if there are any, or donate it to places that feed the needy. Ask people to carpool to events to save on fuel and car emissions. Plus, recycle whenever possible to reduce excess trash.

Giving green: People can give gifts that encourage others to conserve resources and think about waste prevention. Gifts to the movies, shows, spas, or vacations will be put to good use and may not end up as trinkets cluttering up someone's house or put out with the trash. Think about donating to a charity or another cause in the person's honor. However, don't follow in the footsteps of Seinfeld's George Costanza and pretend to donate to a fictitious charity just to save a few bucks.