It’s that time of year again…you know, the time when we drag out all the boxes of holiday decorations and lights and go about that annual process of filling our homes and yards with an abundance (sometimes overabundance) of holiday cheer.  Invariably as you pull out the strings of lights and plug them in, you find that there are always quite a few not working.  I’ll be honest, I’ve tried locating which ones were out so that I can salvage the string, but the string always wins that battle.  Each year, it’s a trip down to whatever is the closest store to pick up another string or two.  Now however, I’ve finally come to the realization that perhaps there is a better way.   Read More

A green christmas

Okay, I’m sure that most of you have seen ton’s of this info before, but as I’ve already seen Christmas or Holiday items being sold, I thought I would give a recap of some of the many ways to have a more environmentally friendly Holiday Season.  Being a bit greener doesn’t mean that you have to do without family traditions, but some things do require a different way of thinking.  If you’ve got some recommendations, please add them in the comments!

1.  If you are going to have a tree for the holiday season, think hard about your choice of a tree:  

• Artificial trees require quite a bit of energy and resources to manufacture, however, if you handle it carefully and repack it well each year, it should last many years.  If you decide to use an artificial tree, be aware of the materials that it’s made of and choose one which can be recycled and maybe which uses recycled material.
• A lot has been said about buying a live tree and setting it out in the yard after the season is over.  Be careful about this one, as live trees may not do well inside a heated house.  Check closely about recommended care of the tree and will it do well in your climate after setting it outside. Read More