The festive season and the holiday spirit is all about giving, rather than taking, and sharing whatever little we have. Apparently, that is the true spirit of Christmas, though it might be hard to explain that to a kid waiting eagerly for his gift. But you can teach them about going ‘green’ while helping the planet in a way that might seem small, but could spiral into a major ‘eco-friendly movement’. By doing the little things around your own home right, and by consciously following the planet-friendly path, you can make this Christmas truly green and merry for Mother earth. Here are five simple ways you can do that without altering your already set plans too much.

Great surprises need not come in loads of wrapping paper

A recent report suggests that between the period of Thanksgiving and New Year, people in US throw away as much as 900,000 metric tons of trash in wrapping paper and enough packing ribbon that can circle the planet over several times! The moral of these stats is that you could do well by just using as little in terms of packing as possible. Sure we all want the gifts to look special, but divert that extra attention towards choosing the gift, rather than the wrapping paper. Also, find gifts that give your family more pleasure than stuff that needs to be packed.

Maybe a holiday trip, a Saturday night out at the game, or even that tickets to the boring Opera just because she cares about it! Remember, that people remember the gift for a lifetime, not the wrapping paper and the ribbon on top.

How about using fake fir and recycling the natural Christmas tree

The Christmas trees that you most often get these days are not chopped down from the woods, and that is a considerably good step forward towards preserving our forests. But you could still do well by using a fake fir tree to light up your Christmas and if you feel that producing the tree will consume more energy and causes more damage than using a natural one, then remember that this is an investment that spans over several years. If you still are not satisfied, then use a natural Christmas tree and send it to recycling as early as possible without throwing it away in the dump. Or better yet, you can decorate the one you have in front of your house.

Reduce the usage of plastic and dispose of waste judiciously

No matter how many times we say this, it still cannot be said enough- reduce the usage of plastic and dispose off whatever little you use in the most responsible fashion. Plastic is one of the most widespread and toxic waste that one can find on the planet. From party cups to travel packaging, it can be found in everything that you use to throw together fun times. But there are alternatives available in the form of ‘recycled paper products’ which one can try shifting to. Be all the more careful in your use of plastic when you visit the beach or the woods, as leaving behind a plastic bag could mean a death sentence for animals in that region.

Light up your home in a dazzling fashion by using LEDs

The popular misconception is that going green means keeping the fun down and seriously thinking about the planet. That perception will be blown to bits if you start decorating your homes in energy-saving LED lights. Compared to conventional Christmas lighting LEDs save up to 90% of energy, and if every home in the US shifted to LED lighting this holiday season, the savings would be at least two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The best part, of course, is that you will find these LEDs more dazzling than traditional lighting and they offer far more options in terms of decorative designs. So light up this Christmas bright!

Party large and buy local

The period between Thanksgiving and New Years is all about getting together with people you know, you love and you despise but can do nothing to get away from. Since you will have to throw a party or two anyways, and attend many more, always make your fun times as large as possible with more people included in it. It is better to have one grand party than many small ones - both for the planet and your own ego! Also buy local gifts for your family and friends as much as possible. Less shipping means less pollution.

This is the time of the year when you let go of all that has been holding you back and let loose. But also remember that every time you reduce, reuse and recycle, you help your planet in a big way. As clichéd as that might sound, some things can never be said enough!

Images by nathangibbs, jpstanley, LollyKnit, leo980, autumnal_hedge and stock in customs

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