I just came across a green-and-frugal reminder/tip sheet from the Environmental Protection Agency. There’s neither anything earth shattering in this information nor ideas that you haven’t heard before. However, it’s all worth repeating–especially if you want to save money this holiday season and help to save the earth. Here goes:
- Travel efficiently: Map your shopping route to make a number of stops in one trip instead of one stop in a number of trips. Take public transportation, or hitch a ride with a friend or family member. Last night I went to a Secret Santa party, and carpooled with two other moms. Would it have been easier to drive myself? Sure, but we conserved gas (and money), and it was fun riding to and from the get together, well, together.
- Shop for green decorations and gifts: Give gifts and decorate your house with electronics that have earned the Energy Star rating, unplug your gifts and decorations when not in use, and choose gifts that have less packaging. And don’t forget to look into your own backyard for decoration ideas like I did with pine cones (see the header picture on the blog for one of my decorations) and evergreen boughs.
- Extend the useful life of gifts: Before tossing the old to make room for the new, check to see if you can donate it, reuse it or recycle it. I wonder how busy the local Freecycle lists are going to be by Boxing Day, what with people giving stuff away rather than throwing it away.
For more ideas you can visit the EPA blog called Greenversations.
READ LEAH ON HOME GOES STRONG
