Who can resist the indulgences of the season… the parties, the gifts, the tree with the trimmings? This holiday, please think about ways you can reduce your own environmental impact by considering the following tips:

Use Wisely
(1) Buy local… for under your tree and at your holiday table.
(2) Purchase or rent a living tree and replant!
(3) Save energy by using LED Lights.
(4) Wrap gifts in reusable packaging, send gift cards or ecards.
(5) Buy/use rechargeable batteries.
(6) Save a tree: Remove yourself from the mailing list for unwanted holiday catalogs. Go to the Direct Marketing Association’s web site here.

 Recycle
(1) Reuse ribbons and wrapping or donate cards, ribbons and wrap to Arts from Scrap or a child-care center.
(2) Recycle your tree. Go here for more information.
(3) Recycle electronics: donate old toys, computers and other electronics to local charities or contact one of the participants in California’s Covered Electronic Waste Recovery and Recycling Program. Click here for more information. Consider donating used computers and monitors in good working condition to Computers for Family — a local organization that provides students from low-income families with refurbished computers, discounted internet access and training. For more information, go to the CFF site.