by G. A. Sylverston

Created on: October 10, 2008   Last Updated: December 17, 2008

Many people are becoming very conscious of the things they are doing to help the environment. This is especially true during the holidays. The holiday season can be a very stressful time. Worrying about what we are doing to help the planet as we make our way through the hustle and bustle may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be! There are some simple ways that we can make the holidays bright and still be earth-friendly.

A great place to start is to reduce our travel as much as we can. Ordering gifts online is a wonderful option, plus it has the added bonus of letting you do your shopping whenever you have time. If you need to buy items that you cannot order online, try to combine trips into one so that your overall driving time decreases.

Reducing waste is a big way to help the environment during the holidays. Instead of wrapping gifts, find some items that you can reuse. Baskets and gift bags are a great option. Just make sure that you don't throw them away! Use the next time you need to package a gift. If you are one who just can't give up wrapping gifts, try to use recycled wrap, and then recycle it when the gifts have been unwrapped. Also, when you are out shopping, use cloth shopping bags. The cloth bags are to be found for a very reasonable price in many stores, and they are very sturdy.

Many people send out greeting cards to family and friends for the holidays. If possible, reduce waste by sending an e-greeting. If this option seems too impersonal to you, find some cards that are recycled and send those. Make a cute, festive sticker to seal the envelope or put on the back of the card that says "Please Recycle Me" since so many cards end up in landfill. Make sure you in turn recycle your cards if you are not one who likes to keep them.

Holiday lighting can be a big electrical drain. Most holiday decorations now have LED lights. Replace old lighting with these, the light they give off is beautuful and far brighter! Put your lights on a timer, scheduled to go on around dusk and turn off around midnight. This will reduce the amount of electricity used rather than if you were to leave them on for long periods of time.

These are just a few tips for greening up your holiday, however with a little imagination and ingenuity, you can come up with ways that you and yours can help the earth while celebrating the holiday season.

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