In honor of the approaching holiday season, The Nature Conservancy has created list of 10 easy ways to make your holidays GREEN and bright. With these simple tips you can help reduce global warming, and protect and preserve the planet. How much merrier can you get than that? Visit www.nature.org/newyork for more information.

 

10. Lighten your light load. Use LED string lights, turn off your tree lights when you leave the house or go to sleep, and use sustainable, soy candles in your Advent wreath or menorah.

 

9. Minimize travel. Share rides with family, friends and co-workers to the airport — or take public transportation.

8. Decorate naturally. Use branches from your yard and recycled gift ribbons to make lively mantle displays and centerpieces.

 

7. Re-purpose this year’s greeting cards. Cut the decorative portion from the front of the card into a small, rectangle shape. Punch a hole in the corner and use them as tie-on gift tags next year.

 

6. Clean house. Make room for your new gifts by cleaning out your closets and cabinets — but don’t create new waste. Give your slightly loved clothes, toys and electronics to someone in need.

 

5. Skip the wrapping paper. Instead use old newspaper and magazine pages or incorporate part of the gift into the wrapping — wrap a jar of jam in a decorative dish towel or a pair of earrings in a vintage handkerchief.

 

4. Cook your holiday dinner with local ingredients. And encourage your guests to do the same if they’re bringing a dish to the party.

 

3. Don’t kick your tree to the curb. Compost it when the season’s over, and then plant a new one in your yard or a local park. Or instead of buying a cut tree, decorate a live, potted tree that lives in your house year round.

 

2. Make homemade gifts. Bake cookies, knit a scarf, create a YouTube video — do something that’s long on thoughtfulness and short on excess waste and packaging.

 

1. Give the gift of nature. Make a donation to The Nature Conservancy in the name of someone you love. Conservation is a gift that rewards us all.

 

 

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