Americans consume more resources and produce 25 percent more garbage between Thanksgiving and Christmas than during the whole rest of the year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If you try to reduce, reuse and recycle all year long, now’s no time to take a holiday. For useful tips on minimizing waste this season, check out www.newdream.org/holiday. Below are five of my favorite ideas.

Simplify the holidays with these tips:

1. Before buying new holiday decorations, try reusing some (or all) from the year before. Last year’s cards can be this year’s gift tags.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

2. If you give out holiday cards, try photo cards—they are less likely to end up in the trash. To get the kids involved, help them craft their cards from reused materials.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

3. Wrap gifts in recycled or reused papers, such as newspapers—or even this page! Brown paper bags stamped or sponge-painted give your gifts a personal touch.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

4. Better yet, give gifts that don’t  require wrapping, like gift cards or online donations to charity.

5. Give a battery charger and rechargeable batteries with electronic gifts.

A GREENER TREE

Photo courtesy of Helemano Farms LLC

There’s always a greener choice—even when it comes to the family tree. 

Instead of heading to an empty lot for a tree that was cut two months ago and looks a little worse for the wear after a long trip from the Mainland, consider a trip to Helemano Farms in Wahiawa for a locally grown tree.

The trees don’t lose their needles and, because they are so fresh, they last more than a month with little water. When you’re done with your tree, take it back; Helemano recycles the trees into mulch for the farm.

Trees start at $40. For more, visit www.helemanofarms.com.

Have questions or suggestions about living an ecofriendly life? Send them to Jenny at jennydj@pacificbasin.net.

For more about the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, vist: www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org.