Do Just One Thing

12/4/09

Shipping gifts to loved ones? Well, send those Styrofoam peanuts packing with these green ideas: Use dried pasta, real peanuts or fresh evergreen to protect fragile items when shipping them. The best part? The recipient can munch on the peanuts, cook up a baked ziti or toss the evergreens into the fireplace for instant kindling. Two gifts in one.

12/3/09

Choose LED holiday lights when decorating the tree or around the house. LEDs (which stands for "light emitting diodes") last up to 20 years and use only one-tenth the energy of traditional Christmas lights. While they may cost a bit more, the energy and lifetime-use savings will more than pay for the investment. Added bonus: LED lights do not get warm, which makes them a safer alternative for children, since they're cool to the touch.

12/2/09

If you're looking to send out holiday cards this season, consider two options. One, look for cards made from the highest possible post-consumer recycled paper percentage you can find; it's made from old paper that you and I put out for recycling. Better yet, do what I do and visit local thrift shops and flea markets for vintage holiday cards. Not only are they more charming and special, they're usually cheaper, too.