Green Holiday Tips for Your
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Don't forget to visit our Green Holidays Page for ideas on special, unique gifts that encourage learning, exploration and FAMILY FUN!!!

The average household produces approximately 25 percent more trash during the holiday season (from Thanksgiving to New Year’s) than at other times of the year. This equates to around 25 million extra tons of waste.

What a great time to make a change and make a difference!

Here are some helpful tips to consider... Share your own ideas with us on the Parent's Page!

• When you are buying presents, look at the amount of packaging and choose those products with minimal packaging, or items packed in recycled or recyclable materials (e.g. cardboard).

• Don’t throw your wrapping paper in the garbage or fireplace. More than 8,000 ton of wrapping paper will be used on presents, using the equivalent of 50,000 trees. Reuse or recycle!

• Buy recycled wrapping paper and holiday cards. Around 744 million holiday cards are sent each holiday season. If all these were made from recycled paper, it would help to save the equivalent of 248,000 trees.

• Buy cards made from paper (not plastic) and without lots of added decorations, as these cards cannot be recycled.

• Send an e-card instead! There are lots of sites offering free holiday e-card services.

  
  

• Save and reuse cards that you receive as gift tags for next year.

• If you are buying toys or electrical goods that need batteries, consider buying rechargeable ones, then add a battery charger to your shopping list. Make sure to recycle those old batteries instead of tossing them. Check out recycling tips on our RECYCLING PAGE!

• Most people buy and eat more food at holiday gatherings than they need. Try planning your meals carefully and only buy what you need.

• Compost what you can this holiday season. Recycling and composting can significantly reduce the trash going to landfill.
• When buying your food, try to buy local, organic or fair-trade produce.
  A traditional dinner that uses local seasonal produce and food from a local market or farm helps reduce the miles it must travel to your table.

• Buy loose rather than pre-packed vegetables - it will help cut down on packaging that gets thrown away.

• Purchase beverage containers which can be recycled in your area, including bottles and boxes from wine and plastic egg nog containers.

• If you receive electric goods this season, don’t throw your old ones away. Recycle or donate them using the recycling locator from Earth911.com’s if needed.

• If you decorate with a tree, buy a locally grown Christmas tree and remember to recycle it after the holidays are over.

• Take public transportation to go Christmas shopping. If using the car, try to make only one, big trip, cutting down on gas consumption and time.

• Around 125,000 tons of plastic packaging is thrown away over the holiday season. Take your own reusable shopping bags when you do your shopping.

• Make your own food-based gifts such as homemade chutneys, cakes or chocolate truffles. You could also make your own flavored organic olive oil, adding dried chilies, garlic or herbs.

• If you’re having a party, avoid serving food and drinks on disposable plates and cups. If you don’t have enough reusable plates, have everyone bring their own!

• Take any excess gifts to a Goodwill location or list them on sites like eBay or Craigslist.

• These suggestions may actually enhance your holiday celebrations. Include your children in the process and make these choices a family affair!

Unique and adventurous gifts from The National Geographic Store!

Many more unique gift ideas on our Green Holidays Page!

Give your loved ones the gift of a safe and healthy clean home with the Get Clean Starter Kit from Shaklee! You'll love using these environmentally safe cleaners and your friends and family will love them too!