An eco-friendly Christmas

Wondering if material excess and the true spirit of Christmas go hand in hand? You're not alone. Between concern over the environment, a global food crisis and worries over a possible recession, why not make this year your most eco-friendly, act-local, think-global Christmas ever? Here are five ways to maximize this season's green quotient without minimizing its fun or elan.

1 Find the right tree
There are eco pros and cons to both real and fake Christmas trees.

Real trees come from tree farms, not virgin forest, so they are, in fact, a sustainably harvested product. However, fossil fuels are used to harvest them and get them to the lot where you buy them, and then, to your home -- unless you're dragging them via dogsled!

If you buy a real tree, make sure you follow your city's post-holiday pick-up rules and schedule, so the tree gets wood-chipped and reused as mulch, rather than being landfill-bound as part of the regular garbage stream.

Fake trees use large amounts of petroleum in their manufacturing process. However, if you buy one now and use it for decades to come, you are you're reducing the volume of fossil fuel used to buy real trees each year. If you go faux, commit to your tree. Don't change trees every few years.

Potted trees are great if you understand the commitment they require. Most potted Christmas trees actually end up dying. Potted trees need to be kept outdoors. Being moved into an unseasonably warm indoor climate isn't good for them and they won't recover when returned outside. But if you're open to having your tannenbaum on your front porch or back deck full-time until it gets planted in the yard come spring, this might be a good option for you.

2 Eco-upgrade your gift giving
Rethink your giving. Look for gifts that:
• Use natural resources in a sustainable fashion
• Have an extended shelf life
• Are non-material objects

Here are some ways to update some common gifts with this ethos, keeping these things in mind.

Candles Skip conventional petroleum-based candles in favour of natural soy or beeswax candles with all-cotton wicks.

Kids toys Look for toys that encourage “open-play” -- like FSC-certified hardwood blocks and construction sets, art supply sets, or books and costumes, instead of battery-operated items. Better yet, consider a museum membership or coupon for a movie or children's theatre performance.

Clothes PJs, T-shirts and workout gear in organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or recycled fleece are an eco-friendly way to give the gift of wardrobe.

Nibblies Give those calorific stocking stuffers a greener shade by replacing conventional chocolate with the organic, fair-trade kind. And treat the java hound on your list to shade-grown, organic, fair-trade coffee beans. You can find both at health food stores, fair-trade shops like Ten Thousand Villages, online, and increasingly, at conventional food shops.

Wine Interest in organic wines is increasing and many liquor stores carry both whites and reds from organic vineyards.

Image courtesy of Pottery Barn.