Dreaming of a Green Christmas?

For many people the holidays are a time of excess. Excessive drinking, excessive eating (I had three desserts at Thanksgiving... ok?), excessive shopping etc. And every holiday season that amounts to a 25% increase in landfill waste. So, here's a short list to help make your holidays a little greener and in turn give a gift to mother earth.

1. Replace old christmas lights with LEDs. They use 90% less energy and last ten times longer. And while you're at it, use a timer so you're not wasting energy during daylight hours or while everyone is asleep.

2. Send your holiday cards and family newsletters via e-mail and consider e-vites for parties to avoid sending all that paper to the landfill. If you need to mail the real thing, make sure they're made of recycled or FSC certified paper.

3. Gift wrap is a big waste during the holidays. Instead, reuse gift bags and boxes. My mom never fills out the little card attached with this in mind. You can also use saved wrapping from the year before or be creative and use old magazines and newspapers lying around the house.

4. When shopping for all those gifts, try to plan ahead what you're going to get to avoid aimlessly driving between shopping centers. Also bring your own tote to carry the goods or ask for a large bag at your first purchase and consolidate the rest. Also, refuse any holiday gift boxes if they're not necessary.

5. For those holiday parties, buy organic and local foods. It will be fresh and in season, which makes for a great traditional spread. And try cutting your grocery list by 20%- that's how much is usually wasted during the holidays.

6. And finally, if you're going to get a tree, go with the real deal. Artificial trees consume significant energy and use a polyvinyl chloride (which results in the unhealthy emission of a number of carcinogens) during manufacturing. Fake Christmas trees also contain lead in order to make the needles more malleable and 85% of these trees are imported from China. Furthermore, artificial trees are not biodegradable and cannot be recycled.

When picking out a real tree, make sure the tree comes from a local grower. Tree farms replace each cut tree and therefore forests aren't being hurt. Many cities also offer tree recycling programs to turn it into mulch or chips. Go to earth911.com to see what's offered in your area.

Some folks are even opting to replant their trees after the holidays. You can buy a tree with the roots in tact and wrapped in burlap. Another option, if you don't have a yard or the ground is frozen, is to purchase a smaller, potted tree and keep it year round. That's what I plan on doing. And I'm really looking forward to starting the new tradition of bringing Mr. Tree inside for Christmas.