I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

My apologies to Bing Crosby and those that don't celebrate Christmas, but here are a few ways to green up this holiday season: Re-Gifting Once thought tacky, this practice is now socially acceptable. Take that unopened gift, spur of the moment purchase or lightly used gadget and give it to someone who may actually need it. This technique delays or avoids the object's landfill space, and reduces consumption and helps to de-clutter your space too.

Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper

Wrapping paper is nearly always used just once. Fabric or paper gift bags can be re-used many times very easily. Fabric bags can be purchased or made with an old pillow case, some fabric markers and colored string or yarn. I have a few gift bags that travel back and forth with friends. One such bag has been making the roundtrip journey for over 10 years!

Get LED holiday lights They will use far less energy, they will last for many, many seasons to come and their display is dazzling, especially the purple ones.

What to do with your old light strings? Send your old strings to Holiday LEDS who will recycle them for you (locally, in a plant in Jackson, MI) and send you a coupon for 15% off new LED lights. They provide ten reasons to switch: 1. Added safety. Lamps always remain cool to the touch. Because holiday lighting is often used in close proximity to combustible materials (dry evergreen trees) this feature can greatly reduce the risk of holiday fires. 2. Solid-state reliability. No longer will you have to worry about one lamp ruining your whole string. 3. Longevity. LED lamps are rated for 50,000 hours of use or more while standard incandescent lights typically last for only 2,000 hours. 4. No glass bulbs to break. LED lights are encased in a nearly indestructible epoxy casing. 5. No filaments to burn out. Unlike incandescent bulbs there is no filament to burn out so they last much longer and won't be damaged or ruined if you drop them or step on them. 6. Extreme energy efficiency. Uses only 10% of the electricity required to power traditional incandescent. For a typical household this will mean a cost savings of $20.00 or more during the standard 30 day holiday season. 7. Nearly indestructible, solid epoxy lenses. High-quality LED lights can withstand the force of a tractor trailer without breaking. 8. Rust proof, Zinc-coated lamp contacts. The lamp components will not rust when used outdoors or in moist environments. 9. Uses standard house current (120 VAC, 60 Hz). No need for an electrician or expensive power converters. 10. No transformer required. Allows for simple installation and use.

Become an organ donor Sign up today to donate your organs and give the gift of life. The ultimate in recycling!

Have a safe and green holiday!

Other interesting websites: Green Gift Guide TreeHugger Gift Guide Greeh Hanukkah Green Christmas Green Buying Guide Odd Green Friday website

________________________________________ What is an "Odd Green Friday" anyway?

Odd: The oddest thing about this newsletter is that it will be delivered on calendar dates that are odd, rather than even (such as Feb 1st).

Green: The topics covered will be green. We will give you tips on reducing your carbon footprint, saving money on energy costs, demonstrate green building products and techniques, and let you follow along as we build hybrid energy homes.

Friday: Yep, we'll send the newsletters on Fridays. ________________________________________

Greenfully yours,

Linda

Linda lives in Ann Arbor & has fun by helping people buy & sell Real Estate, among other things! Linda's website Email Linda 734.216.6415