Deck the halls in eco-friendly style
December 4, 2007
Giving eco-friendly gifts is a great green way to celebrate the holidays, but opening them up in halls decked in plastic and synthetic decorations seems wrong. Looking for planet-friendly tree decorating ideas? Reflect on how your ancestors did it, with natural evergreen boughs, handmade ornaments, pine cones and colorful bowls of fruit.
Step one in green tree decorating - pick up a string or two of energy-efficient LED lights. They’re 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and can last for up to 10 000 hours. Even the Grinch can’t argue with that.
Tired of your old Santa candles and plastic apple baubles? Throw a holiday decoration swap with neighbors and friends. If you must buy new, choose items that come with minimal packaging. If there is a new baby in your family, write their name on one of their outgrown shoes and string it with a ribbon for a homemade and sentimental keepsake. Holiday snowflakes cut from recycled paper can be beautiful on the tree and elsewhere. Handmade cranberry strands are a pretty and natural alternative to synthetic tinsel. Tie 100% biodegradable ribbons dyed with soy-based ink around the ends of a few branches. Festive cookie cutters and pomegranates make great substitutes for Christmas balls or baubles.
Strip pages from old magazines and staple them into circles to create a colorful and surprisingly festive chain. Popcorn on a string brightens up any tree, and can be a fun holiday activity for the family.
Let the idea of a “green” Christmas mean something other than a lack of snow this year.
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