A few simple ideas can make your Christmas more eco-friendly.

Here are some tips:
1. Use LED (Light-Emitting Diode) lights. LED lights are better for the environment because they use up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescent lighting and as much as 50% less than compact florescent lighting.

2. Christmas Trees. Artificial trees are often made of oil-based products that end up clogging up a landfill eventually. If you use a real tree that has been cut down make sure your recycle the tree after the holiday season, it can be turned into mulch. The best choice is choosing a live tree that can be replanted. This wold mean having the root attached and the tree in a pot. Make it a tradition to replant the tree in the spring, maybe Easter.

3. Holiday travel. Save energy at home when leaving and traveling for the holidays. Uplug your TV, Computer, non necessary items plugged in; turn down the temperature setting on your water heater and make sure you set back your thermostat.

4. Wrap Creatively. Giving gifts is great, but gift wrap isn’t. Most gift wrap is never reused or recycled—in fact many recycling programs do not accept glittered or shiny foil paper because of the high metal content. Instead of using gift wrap, try one of these alternatives or come up with your own!

* Use and reuse any wrapping paper you already have. If you’re careful when unwrapping presents (try using a knife to cut any tape) the paper can be reused almost indefinitely. Just store it with the holiday decorations.

* Secure your wrapping paper with ribbon, yarn, or twine rather than tape. This makes reusing the paper even easier. For extra points and style, use the shiny black tape from an old VHS cassette.

* Instead of buying wrapping paper, use colorful newspaper, magazines, old maps, or calendars. Again, reuse the paper when you’re done and then recycle it.

* Hide gifts in bags. Decorating brown paper bags with markers can be a fun project for kids.

* Wrap small gifts in a cloth. Drape large gifts with a sheet, or just tie on a ribbon.

* Use other gifts as wrapping. Wrap a pan with a kitchen towel or hide a book in a shirt.

* Give a gift that doesn’t need wrapping at all—breakfast in bed, a massage, a hiking or camping trip… the possibilities are endless.