Going Green for the Holidays

For everyone, the Holiday season is a time of joy, warmth, and probably some stress. Well, hopefully this year both you and your bank account can breathe a little easier by taking a few simple steps to conserve a little energy. Not only are you doing a service to the environment by making a conscious effort to save, but you are doing a service to yourself in saving a little cash as well. A little less may just translate into a little extra this year.

When the family finally gets up that big, beautiful technicolor display of lights, be sure to use them responsibly. That doesn't mean you can't trump the neighbor, as is annual tradition of course, but before you go to bed unplug them. The lights may be impressive, but no one is there to be impressed at 4 A.M. on a Tuesday night.

When the plans finally go through for the entire family to meet up (oh, how wonderful) plan the rendezvous location reasonably. Grandma and Grandpa may have been the usual hosts up until now, but when they live in Florida and everyone else lives in California, it may be a better idea to switch it up a bit.

During winter in general, force yourself to bundle up and tough out that bone chilling morning cold in your car instead of warming it up. Not only does it greatly increase the chance for theft, but there really is no sense in getting literally zero miles to the gallon for a half hour every morning.

In your home, try and use the heat a little less. Be sensible about it, you don't want to be living in an igloo. But cranking the thermostat really adds up in the energy and cash departments. One big recommendation is to make sure the insulation in your house is in good shape. It will cut down the draftiness and keep the house a little more toasty.

And finally, when the whole family is in the mood for some Holiday activities, try taking everyone sledding instead of driving to the movie theater. You'll not only get a chance for some real, unadulterated quality time, but also get some nostalgia going from the days of your earlier winter years.

Going green for the Holidays really isn't as hard as it seems. The little things you do can all add up to a big, positive difference in some very important aspects of your life personally and the world we live in today.