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<em>By the AAZK Conservation Committee</em>

<p>The holiday season is a time of celebration. A time to spend with friends and family, a time to give thanks for good fortune, a time to forget about the stress of everyday life and a time to have some fun with loved ones. The holiday season is also a time of excess. In fact, according to the Medical University of South Carolina, waste output increases over 25% during the holiday season. The increase in travel, by land or by air, pumps even more carbon dioxide and pollution into the already fragile environment.</p>   

<p>Thinking about all this excess is enough for the environmentalist in all of us to cringe and feel guilty for every piece of candy we hand out or every glass of champagne raised in toast. The conservationist in us would say, "Something has to be done about all this overindulgence! Cancel Hanukah and Christmas! Outlaw Trick-or-Treating! Ban gift giving entirely!"  But the rational human being in us all has to admit that we really enjoy spending time with loved ones, and all the excess that goes along with it. So where is the "in between"?  How can we still consider ourselves environmentally friendly conservationists while partaking in the festivities?  More importantly, how can we fit our green practices into our holiday celebrations without our families disowning us for making them eat by candlelight with no heat on in the Midwest on Christmas or ending up with egg on our houses for handing out a hearty "Happy Halloween" instead of a treat?</p>

<p>The AAZK Conservation Committee has put together some ideas for the "greening" of your holidays. Try a few things this year from the list and add a few more for next year. By adopting even one of these ideas, you CAN make a difference in the amount of waste this holiday season. So relax, have a great AND GREEN holiday season.</p>

<h3>Scream GREEN on Halloween!</h3>
<ul>
	<li><strong>BYOC (Build Your Own Costume)!</strong> Use old clothes and household items to construct a creative and original costume. If you need to purchase items, shop at Goodwill or another local second-hand store. </li>
	<li><strong>Reuse your treat collector!</strong> Find a sturdy reusable bag, second-hand plastic jack o'latern or build your own to use year after year. </li>
	<li><strong>Walk instead of drive!</strong> Enjoy the night and save on gas and pollution. </li>
	<li><strong>Buy PALM OIL FREE and/or organic treats!</strong> Check ingredient labels before buying at your local grocery stores. Try to look for minimal packaging if possible. </li>
	<li><strong>Get the most out of your pumpkin!</strong> Not only are they good for decoration, but also pumpkins can be composted to aide with garden growth. </li>
	<li><strong>Use black and orange CFL bulbs or LED's!</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Decorate your house with recycled items!</strong> Hit up second hand stores, your own trash and recycling, or the dump and be creative to make your house look spooky and scary. </li>
</ul>

<h3>Decorating with GREENERY</h3>
<ul>
	<li><strong>Decorate with nature!</strong> Use organic flowers or seasonal flowers such as hyacinth, mimosa, narcissus, amaryllis and poinsettias. Make centerpieces from twigs, squash, acorn, apples, and leaves. Use real evergreen swags, garlands, and wreaths. Create accents with dried berries, twigs, small logs, fresh fruits and nuts. </li>
	<li><strong>Create natural napkin rings!</strong> Tie napkins with raffia and tuck in some cinnamon sticks – guests can dip cinnamon sticks in hot apple cider later. </li>
	<li><strong>Reuse and repurpose!</strong> Save all of your old decorations for the next year or get creative and make them into brand new decorations. Or go vintage and buy decorations from consignment stores, thrift shops, and antique stores, or buy homemade from craft bazaars. </li>
	<li><strong>Get a real tree!</strong> (Unless you already have a fake one, then keep using that one) Real trees are grown in farms to be cut and are replaced. Fake trees are filled with plastic, PVC, and harsh chemicals. They release toxic gases when they are new and cannot be recycled. Real tree can be recycled but make sure they are from a pesticide-free farm. </li>
	<li><strong>Use LED lights!</strong> They use 80% less energy and last about 20 years. In one year, you should make back the extra money you paid in energy savings. For outdoor lighting use solar powered LED light strands. </li>
	<li><strong>Light candles made of soy and beeswax!</strong> They are renewable and sustainable, burn clean and are better for you. Traditional candles are made from paraffin wax which is petroleum based. </li>
	<li><strong>Make your own decorations!</strong> Try popcorn or berry garlands, flour dough ornaments or other edible decorations. Repose unwanted items to make new ornaments. </li>
</ul>

<h3>Give some GREEN this holiday</h3>
<ul>
	<li><strong>Think ahead!</strong>  Plan your holiday gift giving ideas starting December 26th the year before. That way you can buy your gifts all year long without make special trips at the last minute. Keep this in mind during summer festivals, garage sales, and craft shows. </li>
	<li><strong>Make it yourself!</strong>  Make use of your artistic talents by knitting, baking, or painting to make your gifts. If you are artistically challenged give a gift of your services such as babysitting, massages, or snow-shoveling. </li>
	<li><strong>Shop locally!</strong>  Supporting locally owned stores not only helps your local economy but also helps to cut down on waste caused by shipping products across the world. Look for local shops that support local artisans and craftsmen. </li>
	<li><strong>Buy/give recycled!</strong>  Look for items made of recycled materials. Shop at Goodwill, flea markets, and garage sales for treasures. Remember it is OKAY to re-gift, especially when you know the recipient will really enjoy the gift!</li>
	<li><strong>Scrap the idea of driving from mall to mall multiple times and the pile-up of paper wasting catalogs!</strong>  Visit <a href="http://www.catalogchoice.org">www.catalogchoice.org</a> - This is a free service that lets you reduce unwanted mail and choose the brands you want to hear from by requesting electronic catalogues. </li>
	<li><strong>Buy gifts that will get used!</strong>  Find gifts that the recipient will want and not ones that will go to waste or get thrown away. When in doubt, gift cards to local shops and restaurants are a good choice and many can be personalized or paired with a homemade card or craft. Or buy a consumable gift such as tea, fair trade coffee, or homemade jellies. </li>
	<li><strong>Shop with an earth-conscious attitude!</strong>  Support stores that make an effort to be environmentally conscious and those that support environmental and social causes. Pay attention to packaging. Look for items that are minimally packaged, organic and made in the United States. Visit <a href="http://treehugger.com">treehugger.com</a>, <a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com">planetgreen.discovery.com</a>, <a href="http://www.ecoexpress.com">www.ecoexpress.com</a>, <a href="http://www.eco-artware.com">www.eco-artware.com</a> and <a href="http://green.yahoo.com/gift-guide">green.yahoo.com/gift-guide</a> for lists of items, stores and companies that offer green gifts. </li>
</ul>

<p>Support environmental causes this holiday! Give the gift that gives to others. Buy gifts...</p>


