Go green this holiday season.

It’s hard to believe, but according to Robert Lilienfeld, co-author of the book, “Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are,” between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans throw away a million extra tons of garbage each week. During the season of giving, it sure seems like we’re taking a lot from Mother Nature. Here are some suggestions of ways to go green this holiday season, and you just might save some green in the meantime.

Start with your gift giving. You may not have ever thought about it before, but some gifts are certainly more eco-friendly than others. Giving an experience, like tickets to a ballgame or an art exhibit, create much less waste than complicated toys and gadgets. And some of the best gifts can be homemade like cookies and cakes, or having guests over for a full home-cooked meal.

As you do begin wrapping up those presents for family and friends, consider recycling gift wrap. You can easily reuse gift bags, tissue paper, bows and even wrapping paper. For gift wrapping alternatives, think about using reusable items like scarves, handkerchiefs or bandannas. And if you just look around the house you’ll probably find old posters, maps, sheet music, wallpaper scraps, magazine and newspaper cutouts, and comic pages which all work very well as wrapping paper.

If you need to ship your presents this year, avoid Styrofoam packing peanuts and try the biodegradable kind instead. You can also use crumpled up newspaper, or even dry, popped popcorn (insert a note inside the box letting the receiver know that they can later treat birds to it).

For many folks, the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without a live, fragrant Christmas tree. As you search for that perfect tree, keep in mind that if you purchase a tree from a tree farm you’re not damaging forests. Another option is purchasing a potted plant that can be enjoyed year round such as a Norfolk pine, fig or fichus. Artificial trees are also a good choice since they are reused every year and that saves on the gas you would spend driving to the tree farms.

To ignite your family with holiday cheer, be sure to purchase Christmas lights made with light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. These lights have been around since 2001 and are ninety percent more efficient than traditional Christmas lights. They also release little heat and last about 200,000 hours. According to one U.S. Department of Energy study, if all families replaced their conventional holiday light strings with LEDs, at least two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved in a month. The savings alone would be enough to power 200,000 homes for a year.

Once you’ve chosen your tree, get creative with the decorations. Give it your family’s personal touch by decorating it with memorabilia such as a child’s first shoe or grandma’s hankie scented with perfume. There’s no need to go out and purchase pricey ornaments when cookie cutters, pinecones, stuffed animals and toys, and miniature toy cars work just as well.

And to start the New Year off on the right foot try treecycling. By recycling your fresh tree you can make a huge difference in reducing holiday waste. Instead of ending up in a landfill, Christmas trees can be ground into wood chips and be reused as mulch gardens, or to prevent erosion. If you visit Earth911.com, you can search your zip code to find the nearest Christmas tree recycling center near you.

Written by Tara Darby as found in Craig Lilly’s Newsletter.

I know we posted this last year, but the program is still up and running, and we thought this is such a great cause and a great way to recycle. If you are interested in sending cards, please read below for more information on how these cards will be used.

“Over thirty years ago, wishing to show our donors appreciation for making St. Jude’s Ranch for Children possible, the idea was conceived for turning the previous year’s Christmas cards into “new” cards for the coming season. The recipients were so delighted with their unique “thank you,” they requested the children sell them the special cards. And so, the St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program was born. “

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children are now accepting used card fronts from Christmas cards and any other occasion from now until February 28, 2010. In the past, St. Jude’s temporarily suspended the accepting of cards because they were overwhelmed with the response from many caring donors that they needed to take time and reorganize the program. Now, they are accepting cards again. If you happen to read this after February 28th, you can still donate, but you will need to visit the St. Jude’s website first for different instructions at http://www.stjudesranch.org/

St. Jude’s has been collecting old cards and making new ones for over 30 years, which gives the children an opportunity to make “green Christmas” cards, learn about recycling, and raise money for St. Jude’s. Recycling our old cards also gives us a chance to be “green”, offer supplies to a great organization, and be able to support a worthy cause.

If you would like to donate your used card (fronts only), please send to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

For more information and to keep updated on this program, please visit St. Jude’s website often. http://www.stjudesranch.org/

You can also purchase these “green cards” by contacting St. Jude’s Ranch:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
ATTN: Donor Office
P.O. Box 60100
Boulder City, NV 89006-0100
Phone: 1(877) 977-SJRC

You think to throw it out
But wonder what to do
When a bright idea pops up
And you recycle old to new.

Instead of throwing out the used wrapping paper, Christmas cards, and such, read below for a few tips on how to recycle or reuse your Christmas items.

Icicles
-Collect all the icicles you have left over from the tree and use them for gift bag “stuffing” throughout the year.
-Use them as ribbon when tying small bags or for rolled up notes (like a scroll).

Wrapping Paper
-You can cut paper into smaller pieces and use as a decoupage material to decorate shoe boxes, packing boxes, and not-so-pretty jars or tins.
-You can even re-use birthday paper in the same way.

Tinsel/Garland
-Old tinsel or garland can be cut into shorter lengths and used to decorate wreaths and centerpieces.
-Use to spice up a wrapped package by adorning with the tinsel instead of just using ribbons and bows.

Lights
-Cut up old strings of miniature lights and use for electricity experiments.
-Each light makes a great 1.5 volt battery tester.

Ornaments
-Spray paint & glue glitter on old ornaments to give a fresh, “new” look.
-Glue or decoupage printed pictures of your family onto an old ornament (print pictures in sephia or black & white for a cool effect), then seal with clear spray.
-Glass ornaments can be soaked in soapy water to clean, and then re-decorate how you want. You can add some lace, baby’s breath, or even make mini snow globes inside.

Christmas Cards
-Cut out three pictures from your old cards. Using a glass, trace a circle around the section of the picture you would like to use. Fold each circle in half. Glue or staple the three circles together with the pictures facing out so that it forms a triangle-like shape. Punch a hole through one of the sides; place an ornament hook through it. Hang it from the tree.
-Use the card to make small gift boxes or even Christmas crackers (tubes) out of them.
-Use cards to make origami gift boxes. The front of the card makes the top and the back makes the bottom. The boxes end up about the size of a ring box, and can be hung on the tree as an ornament, or be use to surprise someone with a diamond ring.

Election Signs
Since elections are near to Christmas time, here is one tip on how to even recycle those.
-Decorate the sign by spray painting it, and then tying a bow around it to look like Christmas presents. You can place them randomly in your front lawn.
-You can use painter’s tape to tape off a cross shape after the first paint color, then paint again with a second color to have a “ribbon” that will last a long time.
-You could even paint Merry Christmas or some holiday cheer on the sign.

Please share some of your Green Christmas ideas with us. If we receive enough, we will post a second Green Christmas article for you.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how lovely are thy branches. But not if they go up in flames as so many Christmas Trees do each year due to frayed wires, using outdoor lights on indoor decoration, and replacing low wattage bulbs with high wattage bulbs.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, “[d]uring the four-year period of 2003-2006, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 240 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of 16 deaths, 25 injuries, and $13.1 million in direct property damage annually.”

To keep safe this Christmas Season, please read the information below for all will not be merry and bright if these safety tips are not heeded. You must be aware that many decorations that we pull out every year has the potential to cause a fire or cause some kind of electrical injury.

Christmas Tree
The first step is to be very careful when you chose your Christmas tree. Depending on the condition of the tree affects its flammability potential. Trees that are older, brittle, and dried-out can ignite and burn much faster than trees that have been freshly cut and well hydrated. Keep the following tips in mind when choosing a live Christmas tree.
• Before taking a Christmas tree home, make sure that its needles are fresh, green, and firmly attached to the branches. Bend the needles between your fingers – if they break, the tree is too dry. Also check that the tree trunk’s cut surface is sticky to the touch. As a final precaution, pick the tree up vertically and tap the trunk against the ground; if needles fall off, move on to another tree.
• Generally, Christmas trees with thicker needles take longer to dry out, so a robust variety like the Noble Fir is a good choice.
• If buying a live tree every year is not for you, then remember this; make sure that the artificial tree you choose is flame retardant.

Setting Up Your Christmas Tree
The second step is setting up and caring for your tree, which can also have affects on how long the tree will last, how beautiful it will stay, and, how safe it will be to have in your home.
• Before setting your tree in a stand, cut a couple of inches off the bottom of the trunk to expose fresher, more absorbent wood. This may take some time in the beginning, but will have a lasting effect throughout the life of the tree. Doing this will keep the tree more hydrated by taking in more water, resulting in decreased potential of catching fire.
• Use a tree stand that can hold at least one gallon or more of water. One gallon of water is about how much water an average six foot trees consumes in a day. If you buy a taller tree, then go by a general rule: for every inch of trunk diameter, add one quart of water.
• Water your tree daily without fail.
• Place your tree in a safe location and at least three feet away from any candles, fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, heat vents, or other heat sources.

Lights and Decorations
The third step is making sure you check all electrical decorations and lights. Since almost half of all tree fires result from malfunctioning electrical equipment, ensure all electrical devices are in good condition, free from splits, frays, or damage of any kind. Do not chance using a damaged wire/cord.
• Read the labels on all electrical devices, making sure that all lights, electric decorations, and extension cords are marked with a UL-listed mark.
• For outdoor decorations, make sure that you use lights and decorations that are rated for outdoor use. Putting indoor-only products outside in the weather can result in electric shock and fire hazards.
• If you’re in doubt as to whether light strings are rated for indoor or outdoor use, just check the color-coded UL mark on the product’s package. A green holographic UL mark is for “indoors only”, while a red one indicates the product is safe for both indoor and outdoor use.
• Inspect all lights (old and new), electrical decorations, and extension cords for any signs of damage to wire insulation, plugs, and bulbs. If the damage can be repaired, do not use the item until the repair has been made. If cords and plugs are damaged, discard the entire piece, and replace with a new one.
• Always unplug lights before changing bulbs, replacing fuses, or making any other repairs.
• If you need to replace a bulb in a string of lights, make sure that the wattage rating of the replacement bulb you’re using matches that of the light strand. Using a bulb with too high a wattage can cause the light string to overheat, creating a fire hazard.

If you would like more information on keeping your holidays safe, please go to National Fire Protection Agency’s (NFPA) guide to Winter/Holiday Safety or Holiday Fire Safety suggestions from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA).