One feature of the Yuletide season is decorations.  On the tree, on the lawn, on the house, and at your work.  They’re always fun and festive and we all love decorating for Christmas.  There’s just one problem – it isn’t exactly a sustainable practice.  Between Thanksgiving and New Years, Americans toss out 900 million metric tons of garbage every week.  Here are a few tips for a greener Christmas – for more check this out.

Tree Me

A real or artificial tree depends on your preferences, but PVC free trees are expensive.  Best to buy from a local tree farm that practices sustainable farming – that way you are buying local and supporting agriculture.  If you don’t have tree farms near you, you may want to consider shelling out for the enviro-friendly artificial alternative for guilt-free years to come.  There are also tree recycling stations available in some cities – check with your town’s waste management department to see if you have one.

Old School Decorations

In olden days we made boughs for our trees from popcorn and other various materials.  Disney actually has an awesome page on decorations that you can make yourself.  A great way to get your family into the holiday spirit and if your kids hear that you are doing it to go eco, you’ll have some very eager little volunteers.

Don’t Buy New

I didn’t know it until researching this article but apparently some people toss out their decorations every year and get new ones.  In every single home I have been privy to Christmas decorating in, the same Christmas decorations are trotted out every year, only getting thrown out if they break or crack.  Consider the frugal example of myself and countless suburbanites everywhere if you are of the “decorations should be tossed” camp.  If you will be snubbed by all and sundry for using the same decorations from year to year, you may want to make some new friends.

Get the LED out

If you want to cut your energy costs and have pretty little sparkly lights everywhere, consider replacing your old Xmas lights with LED’s.  These are cheaply available at box stores everywhere and they save you a bundle on your hydro bill – particularly if you have “the Griswald house” every year.  You know who you are.