grocery store

The holidays grow ever closer, and you are probably starting to think of ways that you can make this season one that is more environmentally conscious. Some experts claim that Americans throw 25% more refuse away during the holiday season, which really adds up. If you’re working to reduce your personal consumption, think about reducing your waste this Christmas. If you limit your consumption, you will probably end up saving money – if you do it wisely. Searching out the best Business coupon at the office saves you money there, now you can save money at home through wise consumption.

We’re always looking for ways to save money at the office, often by getting business software coupons. You can save money at home, by limiting energy consumption. For example, when you hang your lights this year, put them on an automatic timer. Just run them for 4 – 5 hours, when visibility is most desirable. Once it gets late, few people will see the lights, so turn them off! Not only are you limiting your energy consumption, you’re also saving money! LED Christmas lights are much more earth-friendly and energy conscious, so maybe it is time to replace those old, inefficient lights!

When you are shopping for out-of-towners, consider choosing smaller gifts that require minimal packaging. You could always mail gift cards or cash in a card as well, which will reduce your impact. If you are shipping something, be sure to avoid foam peanuts and Styrofoam; you probably have some kind of scrap paper or newspaper hanging around that you can shred for packaging purposes.

Bring your own shopping bag when going to the mall. So many people bring bags to the grocery store, but forget they can also be brought to the mall. You will save a lot of bag waste! Also, even if you get one bag at a store, you can always consolidate and put future purchases in the same bag. There is no rule that you have to carry items purchased at a store in their plastic bag!

These are just a few of the ideas you can use to “green” up your holiday season! Use your creativity to come up with more ideas to make this season bright…and green.