Making the holidays greener — and cheaper — by reducing trash, toxins and waste

Tips to have a greener holiday

• Use recyclable or reusable wrapping paper. Newspaper, decorated craft paper, an old map or a fabric item like a scarf can make the perfect gift wrapping.
• If you buy wrapping paper, make sure it doesn't have metallic, foil or glitter. If you can crumple it and it holds its shape, it's likely recyclable.
• Use LED lights for your decorating to conserve energy and cut down on costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
• When purchasing string lights, look for a tag that says they're RoHS compliant. That means they'll contain the least amount of heavy metals which can become toxic over time.
• Make sure any artificial trees are well-dusted and vacuumed around regularly so their PVC materials don't shed heavy metal dust. Try to keep your tree as long as possible to avoid waste.
• When purchasing a live tree, look for an organic or potted one so you can avoid toxic fertilizers and pesticides.
• Give handmade (like knitting, woodworking or baking) or experiential gifts (like concert tickets or a museum membership) to cut down on waste.
• Offset your travel emissions by donating to organizations that plant trees.