From Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by 25%, so here are tips to make this the most wonderful—not wasteful—time of the year.

• Use reusable bags when grocery shopping
• Give a gift of charity/donation rather than a material item
• Give a gift of an experience (show tickets, massage….)
• Shop local businesses to avoid the extra energy, packaging, and shipping cost that goes into ordering online from a large retailer.
• Consider an E-Christmas card
• Use LED/Solar/energy efficient lights to decorate outdoors
• Don’t leave Christmas tree lights on all day – use a timer
• Use sustainable/recyclable gift wrap – butcher paper and twine!
• Recycle ribbons, bows, and wrapping paper or use treasures from nature to decorate your holiday packages
• Reuse shipping boxes
• Buy rechargeable batteries for gifts that require batteries
• Avoid using disposable plates/utensils at holiday gatherings
• Show party guests where your recycle bin is for beverage cans, etc…
• Donate your leftovers to a homeless shelter
• Burn clean beeswax or soy candles

• And after it’s all over, be sure to put your tree out for pick up for coastal restoration reuse!