Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, America’s trash rises by 25% -here are some ideas to make sure you are not a contributor (and all great lessons for your kids to learn)!

1. BYOB. Bring your own bags when Christmas shopping. Envirosax makes fantastic, stylish bags with plenty of room for your goods. Decline a bag for every purchase you make and try to stuff it into a bag you are already carrying.

2. Purchasing gifts. Most of your trash comes from the gift packaging so choose gifts with little to no packaging like gift cards, charity donations or memberships to the zoo, museum, or library. These are great gifts that last long beyond the holiday.

3. Wrapping gifts. Wrap gifts in something the recipient can use again like canvas bags, a piece of fabric or cloth napkin with a pretty bow, or a decorative bag or box (reused from previous holidays!). Kids are always creating art projects at school, use them for wrapping – grandparents will particularly love this! For large gifts, just tie a bow around it. Ecorations also makes reusable fabric gift wraps and bags. I love their personalized Santa sacks for kid’s presents!

4. Shipping gifts. If you are shipping gifts, have them sent directly from the store to the recipient. No use in shipping first to yourself and then shipping again. Also, reuse Styrofoam packing peanuts, air filled bags or plastic grocery bags to cushion the contents.

5. Christmas cards and invitations. Don’t feel obligated to send a Christmas card if you dread doing it every year. Most of them end up in the recycle bin anyway. Families do enjoy getting an update on their friends so try sending an email newsletter, a link to your family blog or an online card. It’s free, saves you a lot of time and reduces your paper use.  For the Christmas cards you do get, donate them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children once the holiday is over. The organization recycles used cards (for any occasion) into new cards and sells them, benefiting the abused, abandoned and neglected children at the ranch. Hosting a holiday party? Use a free online invitation program, like Evite, for customized online invitations.

6. Holiday parties. If you or your company have a holiday party, there is bound to be leftover food. Call a local agency that will pick up the food and deliver to people who really need it or package it up and have your guests take it home. Compost fruit and veggie scraps, egg shells and coffee grounds. During the party, use reusable dishes, utensils and cloth napkins – you can rent them from a party rental company if you need more than you own.

7. Opening gifts. When opening gifts, make sure to have 3 bags on hand – one for recyclable packaging and wrapping, one for ribbons and bags that can be reused and one for true trash. Remember that a lot of things are recyclable, even if it can’t be taken curbside. It may be an extra trip, but you can take Styrofoam and hard plastic packaging to local facilities to be recycled. Check Earth911 for a local location.

Bio: I have a wonderful husband of 5 years and I am mom to an (almost) 3 year old daughter and our second child due in November. When I had my daughter 3 years ago, I became interested in a healthier home and environment for our family and that passion eventually turned into Mommy Goes Green. Additionally, I am a marketing consultant for a database marketing agency and my husband and I own an online children's bike store. My family and interests keep us busy in the outdoors, camping, biking, skiing and playing on the water.