The holidays are a time for family, friends, and giving—but they’re also a time when our impact on the environment tends to go through the roof. From all the extra cooking and baking to the increased travel and gift-giving, it’s easy to let our eco-friendly habits slide during the holiday season.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! With a little bit of planning and forethought, it’s easy to have a sustainable, eco-friendly Christmas that won’t cost the earth. Here are 15 tips to get you started.

15 Tips For You

1. Choose an artificial tree over a real one.

2. If you do choose a real tree, make sure to recycle it afterwards.

3. LED lights use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs—plus, they last longer so you won’t have to replace them as often.

4. Get creative with your gift wrapping! Use old newspapers or magazines, scarves, or even reusable fabric bags instead of buying new wrapping paper every year.

5. Make your own Christmas cards using recycled paper or recycled materials like buttons or fabric scraps.

6. Shop second hand for gifts whenever possible—you’ll save money and resources by giving someone something that already exists instead of buying something new.

7. Give experiences rather than things—tickets to a show or a voucher for a day of pampering will be appreciated long after the initial excitement of receiving a physical gift has worn off.

8. When giving food gifts, make them yourself using sustainable ingredients—or better yet, buy local and support your community!

9. Bring your own reusable shopping bags when you go Christmas shopping—it’s an easy way to reduce waste and plastic usage.

10. compost any organic waste from your holiday cooking and baking instead of throwing it in the garbage.

11. If you’re traveling for Christmas, offset your carbon emissions by investing in carbon offsets or taking public transportation instead of flying or driving everywhere.

12. Make sure your holiday décor is eco-friendly and sustainable—choose solar-powered lights outdoors and avoid disposable items indoors whenever possible.

13. Have a green Christmas by decorating with items from nature— pinecones, holly branches, and evergreens make beautiful (and free!) holiday decorations.

14. Buy fair trade coffee, chocolate, and other goods to support sustainable farming practices.

15. Volunteer your time during the holidays —or donate money or goods —to a local charity or cause that is important to you.  

Conclusion:

Sustainability is more important than ever during the holidays—but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy all your favorite traditions! With a little bit of planning ahead, it’s easy to have an eco-friendly Christmas that everyone will love. So get started early this year, and enjoy a guilt-free holiday season!