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Are you Green or Grinch?

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Mid Willamette

Green  Holiday Tips

holiday recycling

By Daphne Butas

 

 1 .   Go to the EPA website at www.epa.gov/recycling for more information on how to recycle your old MP3 players, laptops and cell phones.

 

2. Instead of wasting money on wrapping paper this year, wrap your gifts in grocery bags or newspaper.   To jazz up the exterior of the packages, get your kids involved and have them paint the paper or decorate it with pine cones or pressed leaves from your yard. Not only does this save money, but it involves a craft project as well which is great when its cold and rainy outside.

3. If you put up Christmas lights this year, only turn them on at night and be sure to turn them off before you go to bed in order to cut down on energy consumption.

4. Recycle bows, bags and as much tissue paper and wrapping paper as you can. This saves money and its a great way to recycle.

5. Consider getting your kids involved in making gifts this year, instead of spending a lot of money to buy gifts. Possible options for kids crafts/gifts are: 1)making ornaments for others to hang on their trees 2) baking cookies, breads, granola or other types of holiday treats 3) making personalized CD's 4) decorating a plain photo frame or trinket box with festive paint etc. (these types of plain gifts can be found at most craft stores for minimal money).

6. Don't send Christmas cards this year. Look into sending e-cards or emails with photos attached. This is a great way to do something great for the environment and it cuts down on your holiday bills.

7. Use clay cat litter, sand or ashes from your fireplace to de-ice your steps and walkways. This keeps chemical de-icing products from running into storm drains and public water supplies.

8. Turn your thermostat down during the day when you are not home and use a fireplace or wood burning stove to heat your home when possible.

9.  Try turning the temperature down on your thermostat a few degrees and opt to wear a sweater and slippers while you are at home. This will help to reduce your monthly bill, and its better for the environment.

Green is the theme this holiday season-Go Green and Save Some Green. Pass it along! 

recycle christmas tree

 

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Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Joe just wrote a similar blog but hasn't posted it yet - how funny!  I never knew that about the cat litter for deicing!  Us country dwellers don't have sidewalks, but it's a great tip for me to pass on to others.  Thanks!  We reuse gift bags and boxes over and over and over and over -- they are wonderful.  We've also made some fabric bags of Christmas material bought on clearance for large items . . . very cute and reuseable!

Dec 20, 2008 04:43 AM