More waste is created between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than any other time.  Businesses as well as consumers can do their part to be environmentally friendly. Here are some great tips for your team to reduce waste, create good will and even participate in some fun team activities:

1. If you are decorating your offices, use LED lights to save electricity and money. Use timers. Consider purchasing decorations from a Thrift Store. Donate good-condition, unwanted decorations to a thrift store.
2. Consider e-cards. If you must send paper cards, purchase those with high recycle content. Reuse old cards to make gift tags or decorate wrapped gifts.
3. When buying presents, shop locally (there is a lot of waste in packaging when items have to be shipped). Consider buying consumable products and services as gifts –rather than “things.” Donate items you don’t use. Give time or fun experiences, not stuff. Tickets to a play or the zoo are great gifts.
4. Disposable shopping bags, gift bags and wrapping paper create a lot of waste. Instead use reusable shopping bags for gift bags. Recycle paper and bows. Use recycled card art, sprigs of live evergreen, newspaper or magazines—to make your own wrapping and decorative touches.
5. Looking for charitable causes or socially responsible team events for the holidays?? Consider having your team volunteer at a foodbank or soup kitchen that serves holiday meals. Get your employees involved in a food drive. Work with Meals on Wheels to provide fun holiday items and decorations to those who are elderly and shut-in. Yes, you can always donate toys or build bikes for kids. But what about getting a bit more creative? For example, have a Santa’s Workshop where your employees make or finish toys. There are many fun projects that can be made from wood, clay, plastic and more! Your local craft shop sells kits if you are not handy.