It's no wonder this time of year is the most wasteful, what with all the discarded wrapping paper, ribbons, packaging and greeting cards that pile up in landfills after the holidays and drained bank accounts and high credit card balances...However, there are steps you can take to make sure your tree isn't the only thing green but your wallet is as well this holiday season. Here are a few tips for making your holiday a little greener...

Decorate with LED lights, which look the same as conventional incandescent bulbs, but last longer and use 80 to 90 percent less energy.
Set a timer on your holiday lights so they'll automatically shut off, using less energy.

If you celebrate Christmas, use a real tree, whether it's "live" (potted with roots still attached, which you can plant later) or traditionally cut. Fake trees aren't biodegradable. Christmas pines are a business and are farmed. They don't come from the rain forest!

Get creative with giftwrap. Instead of traditional paper, look around your house and use old magazine paper, posters, grocery bags, newspaper or even wrap in a scarf for a gift within a gift! VHS tape, tape measures and shoestrings also work well as ribbon. A gift bag is another great choice for gift giving - they can be reused many times over. This may sound cheap and laughable, "What will they think!?" I'd bet they'd think you were great and actually cared about your bottom line and the earth's.

Give gifts that can be experienced, like tickets to a concert or sporting event, or offer to make a gourmet holiday meal or volunteer for a free night of babysitting. Foot and back massage booklets are a great idea for couples. (IOU's) Make them entertaining, creative and fun. How about a free house cleaning for new parents or old ones? This also works for kids! What an amusing and FREE gift to give... guaranteed to make a smile.

If you do gift, gift green by shopping for recycled or organically-made clothing, toys or even jewelry and electronics! Check out Treehugger.com for more green gift inspirations.

Burn candles for a cozy glow around your home while you save energy. Just remember to stay away from paraffin-based wax. Opt for soy, vegetable wax or beeswax, which are all biodegradable. (Candles in jars can produce soot in the home and air.) They may be popular, but try to avoid them if possible.

Use real dishes and flatware, instead of serving food on paper or Styrofoam at holiday parties. If there aren't enough to go around, use recycled paper products, or use plastic plates and cups, which can be washed and used over and over again. Cheap cloth napkins are also a great alternative and a bit fancier. Choose darker colors when buying for staining. This can become a year round ritual saving you green and being green...

Send an e-card with a photo of your family and a holiday wish, or an e-vite if you are hosting a party, instead of wasting paper (and stamps!) on traditional greeting cards. In today's society texting and emailing are growing in popularity. Nothing beats the sound of your voice... Calling is free. A quick happy holiday well wishing will make distant family and friends feel a lot warmer this winter.

Outside of the environment but still within yours, try saving money this year! It's a hard thing to do with so much commercial pressure to perform and give bigger and better to so many on your list... Try changing this tradition now little by little to transition. Get your family involved and especially the children. Instead of five thousand gifts under the tree can you make it four thousand?

It seems many have forgotten the meaning of Christmas and it's turned so commercial and stressful for a lot of families. We live what we create and we're responsible for our own environments in which we build. My daughter asked me tonight if we can go caroling this year. I sadly laughed and explained that people just don't do that anymore... It was a part of yester-year and unfortunately times have changed. It sounded like fun though as I'm still a big kid.

Sled riding, ice skating, hot chocolate, caroling, building snowmen or igloos in the yard...actually baking something not in a bag or can... What happened?? Am I THIS old that I remember these simple pleasures in life and at Christmas?

Children don't need thousands of dollars in gadgets and "things" to be happy and neither do adults. Do they not have enough video games or tech toys? They feel the pressure as well from television, friends, and stores.

The commercials for diamonds and (his and her) cars are ridiculous. It's clearly intentional and for the price of diamonds... what man can afford this each year and what jewelry box can hold it all? Diamonds this year, so what's for next, an island?? How do we continue to top gifts each year while the cost of living is climbing...?

Are we all followers?

In the very near future, homebuyers will need to have a better credit rating and higher down payment in order to purchase a home. Renters will need a good credit score and standing in order to rent. We're literally putting the roof over our heads in jeopardy by frivolous spending, over extending and unnecessary waste...

Going green isn't just about the air we breathe, the cups we drink from, or the amount of walking we do in order to save on gas. It's also about our future both on the planet and tomorrow in our daily lives. People are so caught up today in spending and must have trinkets including $800 purses, shoes, and silly oversized sunglasses by some billionaire designer. If this is what truly makes one happy then by all means, spend on!

If not, perhaps one by one we can change some of these patterns we've created and start smiling, Botox-free...because our finances and surroundings as a whole are more secure and better off...

We're only a product of what we allow ... and our patterns and habits are passed down and continue to build...I don't know how much more building we can all stand.

I understand this doesn't exactly seem real estate related, but perhaps it is. Maybe one day one of us will be selling a large puppy mill in the Midwest. Maybe we can help spread the word to our new home buyers and save a life while doing it. I'm writing this to bring awareness and attention to a horrific but not new discovery that we often don't think about. When you purchase puppies or kittens from pet stores or pet chains, you're supporting mills. . .

When we buy a pet or even shop at a store that sells puppies, we contribute to a heartless underground industry that forces dogs to spend their entire lives in cages constantly breeding to support consumer demand for puppies.

If you're not familiar with the definition of a puppy mill, it's similar to raising cattle for production. Often times female dogs are kept in tiny cages and are forced to breed as often as possible for their entire lives. No love, proper attention or care given. Once they've produced many money making litters, they're put down. It's a business afterall. I won't go into the graphic and sad details of what goes on in a puppy mill, but here's a link if you choose to look further into this and educate yourself and others.

http://stoppuppymills.org/frequently_asked_questions.html

There are SO many strays and beautiful, loving dogs and cats available for adoption at local shelters, there's no reason to continue breeding these dogs in mass numbers and sell them for insane amounts of money especially in the conditions they're living in.

I'm guilty of this. =(

I purchased a Silky Terrier from a pet store for $900. It was adorable and I fell in love. I honestly didn't know a thing about mills or what was behind all this. All I knew was I saw him in a 10 gallon aquarium and he looked at me and that was it. The pet shop owner assured me that all his dogs are USDA certified and the places he purchases them from are inspected and stamped for approval. I believed this and it's a very well known pet store in Kamms Corner, (Cleveland) Later, after doing my own investigation I learned something else completely. The papers for my silky had the mill at the top. I dug around and found it's no different than any other mill, =(

I instantly thought of my puppy's family and parents still there and the conditions other dogs are living in. It's really just too sad. I just wanted to spread the word and let anyone know that may be in the market to buy a designer dog or a new pet from a pet store, to please head to a shelter and adopt or at least look in the paper and buy from a homebased breeder that care for their animals. I learned that NO local breeder that cares for their animals sells their dogs or cats to pet stores. They adopt them out only to people they believe will take care of the dogs and they don't keep them in aquariums. . .Even if the owner of the store promises and tells you they buy local or not from mills, it's almost impossible. Investigate where they get their dogs first before purchasing. Now while talking to buyers or showing backyards perfect for pets, When they agree, (and many new home owners will buy a dog.) I try to spread the word without being pushy of course. Just a simple, "This is a great yard for a dog! Just please adopt from a shelter and not buy one from a pet store, mall or online." That's it. No preaching or hounding, just a simple sentence that will hopefully stay in the back of their mind. I feel good knowing perhaps I've saved a puppy down the road. We can all make a difference.

Puppy mills sell to local Pet Stores for $10-$60 per puppy. But you pay 10x's MORE.

Puppies purchased in pet stores are often aggressive, problemed and hard to house train.

PetSmart is a wonderful chain. They don't sell puppies, (Which I'm sure they'd make a mint on) and only sell cats and kittens that have been neglected or strays. Adopting from them is safe, purchasing their in-store products at least go to support animals not mills.

Thanks for listening and please spread the word, even if just randomly; "Don't buy from pet stores" Not that I want to see them out of business, but until they change their method of greed and obtaining animals I've lost respect and won't support.

In today's market we're all aware that buyers are gold and listings may perhaps be a dime a dozen and hard to sell. I've heard of many agents leaving the business, getting part-time jobs and desperate for business. I'm curious to see where the future is going nationally and locally. The agent of the past had set ways and standards for obtaining customers and achieving sales. They mainly included:

• Open houses
• Floor Time
• Cold Calling                                       
• Sphere of Influence         
• Sign Calls
• Postcards or mailings
• FSBO or Expireds

The newer agent or at least newer meaning the last 7 years or so has begun a new system. Sites like Homegain, Realtor.com, HUD, Housevalues, etc. have made a mint off of us and have given back some business they achieve through their own marketing. It's a time saver but comes out of pocket no less. The newer agent seems to be focusing on slightly different means of new business exploration. They might include:

• Paid Internet advertising (Lead generation sites)
• PPC on Search Engines
• Developing their own websites
• Joining teams that are aleady established
• Hiring more help to make calls and follow-up (PA's)
• Blogging or networking via the net with other agents for referrals and recognition
• New ways of marketing; Podcasts, video, Texting, VT's etc.

How many are still using the older ways vs the new ways? How many are still using the older methods of gaining buyers and sellers? What's the ratio today of old and new? My personal ratio is about 10% old and 90% new. I've been an agent for 5 years and I'm 30 years old. I started off 100% with the standard older techniques which still work. What are you in your market doing to be creative or hold on in this tough time? We all stand to benefit form each other especially in totally different locations and markets. Let's share ideas and tricks we've learned to better our business and industry. What's your ratio?

I've seen many agents in other states argue or debate this subject. I've seen many say "No, we don't get involved here. That's up to the buyer."

Typically in Ohio, or at least the Cleveland area, agents attend the home inspection. We do this as a benefit to our buyer and to be there as representation. It's quite standard and expected. Taking notes, understanding the flaws, and preparing for negotiating. I've learned SO much from home inspections it makes me a better and stronger agent all together. I'm able to explain things and have a good understanding of estimated cost of repairs and ages of mechanicals, what to look for, etc. I'm careful of course not to come accross as a home inspector, but my knowledge shows and buyers adore it. They actually feel I'm useful and a great tool to have in their shed.

I don't just open doors and smile... I assist and help as though I'm a family member. Afterall these buyers are future sellers and their real family will hopefully be contacting me one day.

Some argue that home inspections are a private, personal decision made by the buyer and independently contracted outside of what our roll includes. They feel stepping inside that arena somehow involves them and that's the last place they want to be seen, (with the home inspector)

Overkill, or just an excuse for laziness?

I admit, I don't like spending 2-4 hours in a vacant home twiddling my thumbs while the crawl space is being torn apart. I don't like standing in sometimes cold homes in the winter with no heat only to watch the breath of my buyers and myself filling the kitchen. I do however feel it's not only a great way to gain even more rapport and strength with your customers, but a great way to learn more, and show you care.

So... how does your area practice? Do you attend them? Do you let the home inspector take that part over and you just review the report and go from there? I'm interested in seeing your take and involvement. (Please include the area you serve.)

Hello and thanks for stopping by. I do most of my blogging and updates on my website, http://www.youshouldown.com/

You can join my forum/group here!

http://activerain.com/groups/ClevelandRE

I look forward to hearing from you.