We all want to do right by our friends and family during the holiday season. But how to keep everyone happy while maintaining your green sensibilities? There are many ways to green your Christmas. Here are Green Homes' suggestions for 5 easy ways to keep the holidays green and just maybe reduce your stress level.
1) Try to do as much shopping on-line as possible. Don't feel guilty as that big brown truck pulls up in front of your house - yet again. Less energy is consumed when people order on-line and then have it delivered than if everyone takes multiple trips to various shopping sites. Think of it as buying in bulk or having a retail co-op with a bunch of strangers. If you are one of those people who needs to walk the aisles to be inspired or who likes to touch and feel the goods, then try to group your errands to make as few trips to the mall as possible. If you and a friend or relative drive togethe,r you can make a small contribution to reducing carbon emissions. And that's one fewer car in the mall parking lot!
1) Try to do as much shopping on-line as possible. Don't feel guilty as that big brown truck pulls up in front of your house - yet again. Less energy is consumed when people order on-line and then have it delivered than if everyone takes multiple trips to various shopping sites. Think of it as buying in bulk or having a retail co-op with a bunch of strangers. If you are one of those people who needs to walk the aisles to be inspired or who likes to touch and feel the goods, then try to group your errands to make as few trips to the mall as possible. If you and a friend or relative drive togethe,r you can make a small contribution to reducing carbon emissions. And that's one fewer car in the mall parking lot!
2) Rethink the wrap. We know it looks pretty; but waste, waste, waste. Did we mention: WASTE!!! Re-use gift bags, use cloth to wrap gifts, decorate gifts with a candy cane and bow or a pine cone and some cinnamon sticks instead of wrapping paper. Think of the money you'll save! (Not to mention the trees, ink and land-fill space!) Target has very attractive, printed gift boxes made of 100% recylced materials. 3) Guilt free giving. Consider giving experience-oriented gifts instead of adding to our already over-wrought consumption and packaging culture. Give tickets to a show, take someone on a special outing, plant some trees in honor of a friend or donate to your recipient’s favorite charity. There are some truly over-the-top experience gifts if you want to dazzle a loved one: your baseball fan could attend fantasy camp, the animal lover could be a trainer for the day at an 
aquarium or zoo, your culinary connoisseur can have a private lesson with his or her favorite chef. Some great web-based offerings can be found at Cloud9living.com and xperiencedays.com. At these site syou can find something for everyone on your list, from private art or cooking lessons to a Cardio Strip Tease Dance Package or a Fighter Pilot for a Day experience.
aquarium or zoo, your culinary connoisseur can have a private lesson with his or her favorite chef. Some great web-based offerings can be found at Cloud9living.com and xperiencedays.com. At these site syou can find something for everyone on your list, from private art or cooking lessons to a Cardio Strip Tease Dance Package or a Fighter Pilot for a Day experience. 4) Call, don't write. Consider skipping Christmas cards, sending on-line versions, shortening your list, or making it an every other year tradition. We bet Aunt Maude would love to hear the kids' voices in a holiday phone call!
5) Go Easy. If you travel this Christmas, travel light. Heavier cars and planes mean heavier fuel consumption. Consider purchasing offsets if you do engage in air travel this Christmas. (The Nature Conservancy and Terra Pass make it easy.) If you decorate (and who doesn't?) remember that less can be more. A few LED candles in the windows makes a prettier picture, and uses far less energy, than a flashing neon Santa with robotically moving reindeer!
Green Homes' December Challenge: Green Your Christmas!
CSF
