by Sarah Guy

Created on: October 10, 2008   Last Updated: November 13, 2008

Ah, the holidays: traditionally a time of family, fellowship, meaning and warmth. It's also associated with consumerism in the extreme., and it's easy to get caught up in the spirit of 'more is better.' This year, however, why not treat yourself to something different: a future that is a little cleaner, a little brighter, and the warm feeling associated with 'living green?' Even in the maelstrom of excess that characterizes the holiday season, it's possible to make earth friendly choices without radically altering your holiday traditions.

Holiday celebrations bring shopping, presents, decorations, and wrapping, and along with all of these comes a massive amount of energy consumption and waste generation. Making small changes can minimize your negative impact on the environment in big ways. The first change can come from what's often the centerpiece of holiday decoration: the Christmas tree. Choosing a fresh Christmas tree over a fake one is an environmentally friendly choice, as the manufacture of the plastic in fake trees pumps toxins into the environment, while fresh grown trees are a renewable resource that can be recycled into mulch at holiday's end. Switch your Christmas lights to LED bulbs, which use 90% less electricity and will last for years.

The beloved tradition of gift exchange at the holidays opens up many opportunities to decrease negative impact on the environment. Instead of making multiple trips to the mall to browse, make a list of all the purchases you need to make so you can focus your shopping and limit gas usage. Better yet, complete your shopping online when possible. If you bake cookies or make fudge to distribute to friends and coworkers, pack these items in reusable containers rather than paper plates and plastic wrap. Send e-cards in place of traditional paper cards: as pretty as your card may be, your friends really just want to see an updated family photo and hear how you're doing, and that's expressed just as easily online. Avoid the urge to rip into presents and save wrapping paper to reuse.

If each person made just one little change during the holiday season, the strain on our earth's resources and health would be greatly lessened. Don't think of it as a sacrifice- consider it a present to your future self.

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