by Lyn Davis

Headlines encouraged consumers to plan their holiday shopping excursions on Black Friday and Cyber Monday - scouting for the best bargains. Some stores opened at midnight, and found themselves flooded with shoppers who could not wait to burst into the store aisles.

Everyone is looking for that perfect give, the perfect decoration or ornament for the holiday season. We travel to purchase these items, we travel to deliver the gifts, we travel for the holiday feast. This all consumes an enormous amount of resources.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that household garbage increases 25 percent between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day. When shoppers make purchases that have excessive packaging, that packaging ends up in the landfills. Be conscious of the packaging your gifts come in, by items that come in recyclable packaging.

Celebrate the holidays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, New Years -- they all deserve to be celebrated. It is our responsibility to be responsible stewards of our environment and work to lessen the negative impact these holidays have on our environment.

Here are a few tips to consider:

Keep in mind that even a greeting card or gift tag can be recycled. It may seem like a small item, but it still needs to be given consideration.

Energy efficient appliances are marked with the Energy Star logo. Giving an energy efficient appliance as a gift is much more kind to the environment.

If you mail greeting cards, consider sending a postcard instead of a larger greeting card. Better yet, send a cyber-greeting to friends with computers.

You can recycle greeting cards by cutting them into small holiday gift tags.

A treasured gift does not have to be a new item. Shopping at an antique store or thrift store an turn up so unique items that will be a perfect gift.

Make your own gift, use your talents to create a treasured gift. If you are a stamp or coin collector, consider making a starter collection for a child, using your duplicates.

If you enjoy cooking, prepare some of your favorite recipes -- this is especially nice for older people who are either on a fixed income or are not able to do much cooking. When you are cooking for your family - make a little extra to give as a gift to someone.

Your time and expertise makes a perfect gift. If you have talents that someone else lacks, this makes a helpful gift. It may be something as simple as mowing the lawn for someone, or pulling weeds for an hour.

Plant a tree in honor of someone.

You can give a donation to an organization or church in the name of the gift recipient.

Giving a gift certificate for services you know the recipient enjoys makes a great gift.

Choose your gifts wisely this holiday. As consumers, we need to make decisions to buy gifts that are environmentally friendly. We can all do small things that will have a powerful impact on improving the environment. No act is too small.

About the Author:

Before purchasing your holiday gifts, give some thought as to how your give will impact the environment. Give a Green Gift. North Wales Caravan Holidays.