Holiday Gifts for the Globe
Eco-friendly tips from Sam Champion as he travels around the country.
— -- As Sam Champion travels across America to show you the biggest, best, most over-the-top holiday displays, he'll also provide tips on how you can make your trees, decorations and gifts as eco-friendly as possible.
So check in daily for the "GMA Gifts for the Globe" tips.
Tip: Recylce and Compost Your Trees, or Buy It With Roots
The Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival takes place over three weeks and includes more than 21 miles of twinkling lights. The town is home to beautiful 100-foot pines and 80-foot birches, which offer the perfect natural setting for holiday lights.
If you're ready to forgo having your own personal holiday tree in your home for decorating outdoors, then be sure your tree doesn't go to waste, and dispose of it properly.
Check in your local community for tree drop-off sites or pick-up times. Most cities and towns collect old trees at the end of the holidays and turn them into compost or mulch.
This compost and mulch can be used for a world of good, including: in your garden or animal stall, to help prevent erosion at watersheds and even as refuge for fish if sunk into a lake.
To find your closest tree drop location go to Earth 911 and type in your ZIP code.
If you're up for a little bit more of a challenge, buy a tree with roots.This way you can replant your tree and have a living reminder of holidays past.
The potential benefits of planting a tree near your home include improving your quality of air, providing a home for birds and other animals, stabilizing your soil and reducing your risk for erosion, thanks to the trees strong roots.
Besides, the Environmental Protection Agency claims that planting trees is the best way to reverse the global warming effect.
For more tips on going green this holiday season, check out Plenty Magazine and Care2.com.
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