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The holidays are the time of year that we celebrate with family, friends, and co-workers. We all look forward to spending time together sharing favorite treats and stories. While planning these events you might ask yourself how to make your holiday season more earth-friendly. With a little bit of preparation, it's possible to have a green festive season without breaking the bank.

A great place to be earth-friendly is around the house. Everyone likes holiday lights but they can create a large energy bill. A wonderful alternative to traditional holiday lighting is the newer LED holiday lights. These consume considerably less electricity and they have a much longer life span. Manufacturers have expanded their product lines considerably the past two years so there's sure to be a style that matches what you are looking for. To save even more money, put those lights on an outdoor timer. Not many people are watching your lights at 3 AM.

Try shopping from your house this season. Many retailers offer online coupons and free shipping around the holidays. Shopping online will save you time and gas money! If you do need to pick up some gifts, check the air pressure in your car's tires before beginning your adventure. Under-inflated tires really hit you in the wallet. Next, grab those cloth bags and go shopping at stores with locally made products. You will be supporting local businesses and the confidence that they won't contain any unsafe chemicals.

Try alternative gifts for the person who already has it all. Everyone needs batteries around the holiday time. What a perfect time to buy rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. They can be used repeatedly, reduce waste, and save money in the long run. Buy them a pass for the mass transit system and they'll be green and save gas money. Buy carbon off-set credits to promote sustainable living practices. Better yet, help them to sign up for renewable energy programs offered by their local energy company.

It's possible to have green holiday parties at home and at work. For your next get-together try using compostable and biodegradable partyware made from renewable sources. There are now a wide variety of earth-friendly eating utensils, plates, cups, and napkins. Many can be ordered online from www.ecoproducts.com and you can check their greenness rating at www.evo.com. While you are having that party, try to separate waste products into recycling streams and make it a zero waste event. Some community non-profit waste reduction organizations will even do this for you for a small fee.

Think of the elderly people in your life. Many on fixed incomes will struggle this winter. Think who could benefit from home weatherization, CFL bulbs, draft saving door sweeps, or a programmable thermostat. Schedule a home furnace tune-up for them. Their furnace will burn more efficiently and be ready for bitterly cold January days.

No matter the holiday you celebrate, everyone can be earth-friendly. It might take a little planning or just as easy as grabbing the cloth grocery bags. We can all help reduce our impact and save some money in the process.

Learn more about this author, G. Kunkel.
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