Check back every Monday for more ways to incorporate living green into your everyday life! This week’s tips are all about greening your holidays.

1.    Wrap with newspaper. Save up some newspapers for a few weeks before the holidays. Wrapping paper is rarely able to be recycled and while you can get recycled wrapping paper, you will save money by using newspaper. For a bigger impact, if you want to use ribbon buy biodegradable curling ribbon made with soy

2.    Think before you buy. You can find eco-friendly gifts that will make everyone on your list happy. Etsy.com is a wonderful way to buy eco-friendly gifts and support artists. For a bigger impact buy nothing.

3.     Use LED lights. LED lights use about 10% of the energy that traditional lights use and don’t get hot to the touch so safe for kids. For a bigger impact use solar powered lights.

4.    Buy organic treats. Organic is better for you and better for the planet so this holiday season buy organic candies for gifts and your home. You can find everything from candy canes to chocolate Santa’s in organic form. For a bigger impact make an organic holiday dinner. It may cost a bit more but it’s better for you and you can feel good about eating it.

5.    For a white Christmas, use a safe product to melt ice and snow. Traditional products are harmful for the environment and animals. For a bigger impact while out in the cold wear eco-friendly clothes to keep warm.

6.    Recycle your tree. 10 million trees end up in the landfill each year. Call (800) CLEANUP or go to www.earth911.org to find the tree-recycling program near you. For a bigger impact get a pesticide free tree. Some trees contain 40 different pesticides and even chemical colorants.

7.    Donate or recycle outdated items.  If you get a new cell phone be sure to recycle or donate it. Same with any of your electronics and any other item that you are replacing with your gifts from this year. For a bigger impact collect these items from family and friends to be sure there items stay out of the landfill as well.

8.    Give recycled cards this year. Not only will you help save virgin forest, but it also takes less energy to produce recycled paper. For a bigger impact save your cards this year to make gift tags for next year. Just cut the side with the picture and no text in to shapes and punch a hole.

9.    If traveling treat the hotel room like home. Turn off lights when you leave and see if the hotel will take back the small bottles of soap and use your own.  Don’t over use the heater either. Just because you don’t have to pay for it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t forget about the impact it has. For a bigger impact look for a green hotel for your trip.

10.    Green your Hanukkah as well.  Use natural candles in your menorah. Traditional candles are made from petroleum by products and harmful to your health. For a bigger impact go to this site to learn how to have a totally green Hanukkah.

For more tips to green your holidays check out Lisa’s blog Retro Housewife Goes Green.