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How to Have a Green Christmas
by Chuck Hall

Between twenty-five and thirty percent of the trash generated in the United States is generated during the Christmas season. With Christmas just around the corner, here are some ideas for making your holiday season a little greener:

This year, instead of chopping down a tree that will have to be thrown into a landfill, why not buy a live tree? Live evergreens may be purchased at your local nursery or garden center. They come already potted, so you don’t have to wrestle with trying to level a tree in a tree stand. Tree skirts that will cover the pot may be purchased at many stores, or if you are creative you can recycle old scraps of cloth and make your own quilted tree skirt. When Christmas is over you can plant the tree in the back yard the following Spring. This can also be a legacy for your children. They can count the number of trees in the yard to determine how many green Christmases you’ve celebrated together in your home. If you don’t have a back yard, many public parks will allow you to plant your tree. Just be sure to get permission first.

You can decorate your tree by making ornaments out of items that would otherwise be thrown away. For example, an old jar lid, spray-painted and decorated with stickers, can be used as an ornament. Make a picture frame of it by placing the lid over a photo. Trace the lid on the photo, cut out the picture, and glue it inside the lid. It’s a great way to keep a record of family portraits from year to year.

Instead of gift-wrapping boxes, try gift bags instead. These are easier to save for the following year. They sustain less damage in the unwrapping process and can be used over and over. If you use tissue paper on top of the gifts in these bags, you can also save the tissue paper. Save old ribbons and bows for use again next year too.

Don’t know what to give? Why not make a donation to your favorite environmental organization in someone’s name as a gift? Check your local telephone directory for a list of non-profit environmental organizations in your area. Many offer certificates stating that a donation was made in the recipient’s name.

Use old newspapers instead of gift wrap. Newspapers can be made more festive by purchasing decorative sponges and stamps. Simply stamp your favorite Christmas designs on the paper before wrapping gifts. Reuse your old Christmas cards to make labels for this year’s gifts. Get creative by using cookie cutters to trace shapes onto the cards, then cut them out.

These are just a few of the many ways you can make your holiday season greener. For more ideas, check online or ask your local environmental organizations or waste management facilities. Happy Holidays!

Chuck Hall is a Sustainability Consultant and author. His latest book, Green Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave, is now available at Booklocker.com. You may contact Chuck by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org or visit the Culture Artist Web site at www.cultureartist.org.