3 Easy Ways to a More Economical and Eco-Friendly Christmas
Try these 3 simple ways to be kind to your wallet and to the earth! Living Christmas Tree One of the best ways to be more eco-friendly this Christmas is to choose a living Christmas tree instead of a cut or artificial tree.
By choosing a living tree, you will be able to enjoy the fresh fragrance of the tree and also be able to plant the tree after Christmas.
By buying a tree from your local nursery, you will save on transportation costs and energy consumption, as most cut trees and even artificial trees must be transported hundreds or thousands of miles to the store or lot near you.
There are a few things you should know about using a living tree for your Christmas tree.
First, you need to be a bit more careful when hanging things on it.
The tree is living, not dead, so any hot Christmas lights or super heavy ornaments could damage it.
So be a little more gentle when hanging ornaments and lights on it.
You should also avoid regular Christmas lights, and use only LED Christmas lights on a living tree as they produce hardly any heat at all, so will be safer and easier on the tree.
With a living tree, you should take special care to let it orient itself to the air in your home and outside your home.
When you bring it home, leave it outside on your patio or deck for a night or two, somewhere where it can get a little heat from your home, so it can get used to the higher temperature.
You don't want to shock it, going from 30 degrees outside at the nursery to 69 degrees in your home.
It's quite a difference, so just gradually let the tree experience a higher temperature.
Also, after Christmas, when you have removed decorations from the tree, do the same thing in reverse, again, to avoid shocking it going from high to very low temperatures.
In addition, when you bring the tree in to your home, avoid putting it close to the fireplace or any heater.
Also, probably the very most important thing when using a living tree, is to make sure to keep it watered.
You should never let the soil get dry.
Make sure to feel the soil everyday by feeling it with your fingers.
Then water it if feels dry.
The soil should be slightly moist but not at all muddy or overly wet.
If possible, try to put the tree in a cooler area of your home.
When it's in a warmer area, you'll likely need to water it more often.
When you plant the tree, make sure you gently loosen the roots before placing it in the ground.
Lastly, make sure to enjoy the tree year after year, so you can remember Christmases past and the beauty and cleaner air that the tree is bringing your yard! LED Christmas Lights Quite simply, the traditional style of mini lights or larger Christmas bulb lights are outdated.
Nowadays, you can take advantage of the wonders of LED lights.
LED lights use less energy, yet give off brighter light.
They take up less room.
They are lighter in weight and therefore easier to hang.
They produce less heat, so they are much safer than traditional lights.
Plus, they are now available in all kinds of colors and styles, from mini lights to rope lights to battery operated lights.
LED Christmas lights will save you energy and money, and are therefore a great eco-friendly choice.
Recycled Wrapping Paper Every Christmas, wrapping paper is one of the most used items for any gift giver.
Using wrapping paper contributes to landfills and causes the destruction of entire forests of trees.
The good news is that you can help cut down on the use of wrapping paper very easily.
First, consider using recycled wrapping paper.
The next time you are buying wrapping paper, simply look for paper that is made from 100% recycled paper or at least a high percentage of it.
Next, consider using re-usable gift bags or containers that can be used again and again.
Most stores now carry a huge selection of gift bags that allow you to simply place the gift in the bag and you're done wrapping.
With a gift bag, the recipient doesn't need to tear anything open, so gift bags show little to no wear even after years of re-use.
You can also use practical items as wrapping, like tins, plastic containers, pots and mugs.
This is a great way to avoid using paper altogether.
Don't stop with the wrapping paper, but also try to re-use your bows and ribbons.
When you're cleaning up after opening presents, you'll be surprised at how many bows and ribbons you find that still look great and can be saved to use for next year.
By choosing a living tree, you will be able to enjoy the fresh fragrance of the tree and also be able to plant the tree after Christmas.
By buying a tree from your local nursery, you will save on transportation costs and energy consumption, as most cut trees and even artificial trees must be transported hundreds or thousands of miles to the store or lot near you.
There are a few things you should know about using a living tree for your Christmas tree.
First, you need to be a bit more careful when hanging things on it.
The tree is living, not dead, so any hot Christmas lights or super heavy ornaments could damage it.
So be a little more gentle when hanging ornaments and lights on it.
You should also avoid regular Christmas lights, and use only LED Christmas lights on a living tree as they produce hardly any heat at all, so will be safer and easier on the tree.
With a living tree, you should take special care to let it orient itself to the air in your home and outside your home.
When you bring it home, leave it outside on your patio or deck for a night or two, somewhere where it can get a little heat from your home, so it can get used to the higher temperature.
You don't want to shock it, going from 30 degrees outside at the nursery to 69 degrees in your home.
It's quite a difference, so just gradually let the tree experience a higher temperature.
Also, after Christmas, when you have removed decorations from the tree, do the same thing in reverse, again, to avoid shocking it going from high to very low temperatures.
In addition, when you bring the tree in to your home, avoid putting it close to the fireplace or any heater.
Also, probably the very most important thing when using a living tree, is to make sure to keep it watered.
You should never let the soil get dry.
Make sure to feel the soil everyday by feeling it with your fingers.
Then water it if feels dry.
The soil should be slightly moist but not at all muddy or overly wet.
If possible, try to put the tree in a cooler area of your home.
When it's in a warmer area, you'll likely need to water it more often.
When you plant the tree, make sure you gently loosen the roots before placing it in the ground.
Lastly, make sure to enjoy the tree year after year, so you can remember Christmases past and the beauty and cleaner air that the tree is bringing your yard! LED Christmas Lights Quite simply, the traditional style of mini lights or larger Christmas bulb lights are outdated.
Nowadays, you can take advantage of the wonders of LED lights.
LED lights use less energy, yet give off brighter light.
They take up less room.
They are lighter in weight and therefore easier to hang.
They produce less heat, so they are much safer than traditional lights.
Plus, they are now available in all kinds of colors and styles, from mini lights to rope lights to battery operated lights.
LED Christmas lights will save you energy and money, and are therefore a great eco-friendly choice.
Recycled Wrapping Paper Every Christmas, wrapping paper is one of the most used items for any gift giver.
Using wrapping paper contributes to landfills and causes the destruction of entire forests of trees.
The good news is that you can help cut down on the use of wrapping paper very easily.
First, consider using recycled wrapping paper.
The next time you are buying wrapping paper, simply look for paper that is made from 100% recycled paper or at least a high percentage of it.
Next, consider using re-usable gift bags or containers that can be used again and again.
Most stores now carry a huge selection of gift bags that allow you to simply place the gift in the bag and you're done wrapping.
With a gift bag, the recipient doesn't need to tear anything open, so gift bags show little to no wear even after years of re-use.
You can also use practical items as wrapping, like tins, plastic containers, pots and mugs.
This is a great way to avoid using paper altogether.
Don't stop with the wrapping paper, but also try to re-use your bows and ribbons.
When you're cleaning up after opening presents, you'll be surprised at how many bows and ribbons you find that still look great and can be saved to use for next year.
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