86194The holiday season is a time filled with joy and giving, but it can also be a time of great waste as packaging and wrapping from gifts finds its way into landfills. This year, follow these eight tips to spread the joy without the extra waste.

1. Don’t leave home without a healthy supply of reusable shopping bags.

2. Look at opportunities to car pool or use public transit when shopping during the holiday season. When ordering gifts online find retailers that use packaging and delivery options that are better for the environment.

3. Use reusable gift bags, newspaper or even fabric to wrap gifts instead of wrapping paper, which often cannot be recycled.

4. Send greeting cards electronically or make your own cards out of recycled materials.

5. Consider giving an experience, such as tickets to a local attraction or the movies, or something that’s homemade, like baked goods made from locally sourced ingredients.

6. If giving a physical gift, look for items that use minimal packaging or have packaging that can be recycled. Consider gifts made from sustainable and responsibly sourced material, choose electronics that are energy-efficient and opt for edible gifts that are organic or locally sourced.

7. In lieu of a gift, make a donation to a charitable organization that supports green initiatives, like TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

By following this list and checking it twice, it will be easy to have a festive and green gift-giving season.

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