Amanda Wilson, Hokies Abroad marketing intern, writes:

The holiday season is fast approaching, promising time with friends and family, gifts, food, travel, and celebration. However, just because you are taking a break from work or school, doesn’t mean that your efforts to go green have to go by the wayside. Below are a few easy tips for lessening your impact on the environment this holiday season that won’t require you to break your family traditions.

1. Save and reuse gift wrapping including bags, tissue paper, ribbons/bows, and tags.  This will help save paper and money.
2. Recycle your Christmas tree – don’t just throw it in the dump.
3. Reduce your travel footprint by getting your oil changed and your tires properly inflated before heading off.
4. On Black Friday and the rest of the holiday shopping season, buy local and second-hand as much as possible.
5. Use timers for all your decorative lights.
6. Recycle your burned out holiday lights at hardware stores like Lowe’s.
7. Save and reuse packaging peanuts. Some department stores like Macy’s will take clean packing peanuts and reuse them.
8. Defrost your delicious turkey or ham in the fridge, not the microwave. This saves electricity.

For more great tips, visit The Environmental Center website.