Have a "Green" Christmas! Part 2

As you begin your Christmas holiday preparations, consider incorporating these environmentally-friendly choices into your holiday routine:

Use Cloth Napkins
Choose to use cloth napkins over paper napkins, thereby reducing the amount of waste going to landfills. Your pocketbook also benefits since cloth napkins are cheaper in the long run.

Light Candles
If you use candles at the dinner table, choose beeswax or soy candles. They burn cleaner and longer than traditional petroleum or paraffin wax candles — sometimes twice as long!

Stay Local
Consider staying at home rather than traveling to a relative’s house. Invite your neighbors over instead to help create a festive atmosphere and cut down on the fuel and pollution that result from long-distance driving or flying.
If you need or want to travel, check out more environmentally-friendly options. Rent a hybrid vehicle or carpool with other family members.

Make It To-Go
Rather than putting pounds of leftovers in the refrigerator to be neglected and eventually thrown away, give your guests food to take home with them. Put the food in reusable containers that can be washed and used again.

These are a few quick and easy ways to be more environmentally friendly this holiday season. To find ways to make longer-term, green changes in your home, check out the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB’s) Sustainability and Green Building information at www.nahb.org/advocacy/industry-issues/sustainability-and-green-building.