By Sylvia Hay
Yes, the holidays draw out the best in most of us each year. But they also bring what seems like an environmentalist's worst nightmare and taking away much of the joy of Christmas: tons of extra garbage, millions of chopped-down trees, and megawatts of flashing lights. With a little tweaking, however, everything from holiday gift-giving to light-stringing can celebrate the environment, too and turn you from a Grinch to a Happy Elf!!! Here's how:
Recycle holiday gift wrap!
If every family reused just 2 feet [0.6 meter] of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles [61,000 kilometers] of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.
And not all gifts need wrapping.
Think back to your three favorite holiday memories. Some of the greatest moments involve time you spent with your family and friends. By giving gifts that can be experienced, like tickets to a baseball game or a homemade dinner, you can minimize wrapping and still win points with the receiver.
Fake Fir
For many, Christmas wouldn't be the same without a live, fragrant Christmas tree in their home. Today nearly all of the trees sold at seasonal Christmas-tree lots are grown on tree farms. So forests aren't hurt by choosing a cut tree!
Tree Recycling
Recycling fresh trees after Christmas can make a huge difference in reducing holiday waste. Instead of taking up space in the landfill, trees can be ground into wood chips, which can be used to mulch gardens or parks or to prevent erosion at a local watershed.
Low-Energy Lights
The newest energy-saving stars on the holiday scene are Christmas lights made with light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. First introduced in 2001, LEDs incorporate the same computer-chip technology used to light calculators and watches. The lights, which use semiconducting material rather than incandescent filaments, are 90 percent more efficient than traditional Christmas lights.
The Green Team Wishes You a Very Merry and Green Christmas!
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