Eco-Friendly Christmas Decorating Ideas for 2009

Looking for Christmas decorating ideas while being eco-friendly? Here are five ideas on how to make sure you are doing your part for the environment.

Christmas Lights

The increased attention on energy consumption has been a major influence in the development of eco-friendly Christmas lights. When you visit your local big box retailer, like Target or Home Depot, not only will you find a wide variety of LED lights, several of them will have the Energy Star trademark, which means the lights consume up to less than 75% of the standard Christmas lights.

Another way to be friendly to the environment with your Christmas lights is to make sure they are attached to a timer. The last thing you need is for your Christmas lights to be running at all hours of the day and night. By purchasing a timer for $10 to $20, you will be able to control when the lights are on, which will save you money in the process.

Christmas Trees

When it comes to Christmas trees, there are two things you need to take into consideration when it comes to being eco-friendly. First and foremost is making the decision to purchase a real tree rather than opting for an artificial one. While it may seem a smart decision, you are doing more harm than good when it comes time to dispose of the tree.

Second, you need to consider where the live tree comes from. You do not want to run out to the nearby forest and start hacking away. Instead you want to find a retailer, like Home Depot, who purchases their trees from a sustainable resource.

Christmas Ornaments

Instead of purchasing ornaments by the dozen at your nearby retailer, you can find creative ways to make homemade eco-friendly Christmas ornaments. You can paint and decorate old compact discs to create your very own snowman or use popsicle sticks to create a variety of Christmas images.

Indoor Christmas Decoration

Why not make the most of those old Christmas cards and created a mural to hang in the living room? Not only will you show your creativity, friends and family will enjoy seeing their Christmas cards there.

Another simple eco-friendly Christmas decoration idea is to use baked goods or other edible items to create the holiday scent. Maybe you can make a gingerbread house as a center piece for the table while using dried fruit and herbs in a decorative bowl.

Outdoor Christmas Decorations

While the inflatable yard decorations may seem enjoyable, you can find more ways to be eco-friendly to the environment with the holidays. Why not make use of the natural surroundings by adding homemade decorations to bushes and trees on your front yard?

Add in a few LED light strands to go along with a luminary trail, consisting of decorated paper bags filled with sand and a candle, your yard will be sure to attraction the attention of onlookers.

Resources

http://www.greenyour.com