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The big game is almost here and if you are any kind of football fan you’ve probably already figured out who you are watching the game with, where you are going to watch it, what you are eating and most importantly which team you want to win. With all of that figured out, I wanted to give you a few friendly tips to help lower your environmental footprint just a bit. Don’t worry, they are easy to do and won’t cramp your style. You game?

First of all, many people are planning on attending parties, get-togethers or gathering at a local bar/restaurant in order to watch the game. Needless to say, there is going to be a lot of food at most of these places. You will probably have your choice of tasty snacks, drinks and other foods.

Image via Netta S on Pinterest via Facebook.com

That being said, it is important not only to not eat too much, but to not waste food either. Take a look at some of these shocking facts about how much food we waste. My tip is to a) make less, b) send friends home with leftovers so they don’t go to waste, c) compost any other left over food, and d) recycle all bottles and cans.

If you are the host of a game day party, or if you are going to a “potluck” party, then here are some organic recipes that may help you out. I know we all have our favorite, go-to snacks, but there is no need to indulge in 100% fatty foods when you can add in some fresh, yummy, organic alternatives. Feast away!

Now, you may not be aware of this, but for the last 18 years the NFL has been taking steps to “green” the Super Bowl, and this year is no different. Green Mountain Energy Company is going to be the company supplying 15,000 megawatt hours of “renewable energy certificates” designed to help offset some of the electricity (and resultant greenhouse gas emissions) that will be used at seven of the primary NFL venues on game day.

If the NFL can do it, so can you. My first tip is to to carpool wherever you are going. Second, if you don’t have plans for the game, make them – 10 people in one room will use a lot less electricity than those same 10 people being in 10 different rooms watching the game. Third, if you’re planning a big get-together, you and your guests can choose whichever Green Mountain offset product best suits your needs and take steps to offset your environmental footprint for the entire day.

Ditch the disposables. Instead of going out and getting plastic forks, knives, spoons, plates and cups, my tip is to ask all your guests to bring their own. Trust me, it’s not that hard. Besides, if someone forgets, you can also have some reusable supplies on hand to help them out.

Well, that about covers it for now. If you have any other helpful tips, please feel free to drop a comment and share the wealth. For those of you who missed it, here was last year’s green facts and figures surrounding the Super Bowl. Here’s hoping you have a great and biofriendly weekend. Enjoy the game!

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People are constantly talking about “going green” or being more environmentally-friendly, but what does that really mean? Does it mean you have to change the entire way you live your life? Should you get rid of everything from your cleaning supplies to your car in order to lessen your environmental footprint? Well, in actuality no, you don’t need to do that.

People shy away from adding “green” actions into their daily lives for a variety of reasons. Some think it takes too much time, others think it will cost more money, and other people believe there is no real reason to change because what they do doesn’t really matter. The thing is, what you do does matter. Even the little things add up quickly. And no…before you start grumbling, you don’t need to move mountains or go to some crazy extreme in order to make a change.

Start with implementing these 7 ways to green your everyday routine, and then go from there. How far you go is your decision. What kind of an impact you want to make is up to you.

1. Waste not, want not. Buying in bulk may work for some families, but it doesn’t work for everyone. How many times have you purchased food at the store to only have it later go bad in your fridge leaving you with “nothing” left to eat? Or you make a large meal and end up tossing part of it because your eyes are bigger than your stomach.

An easy way to prevent this is to plan ahead. Plan your meals, work out your recipes and buy only what you need. Europe is taking a stand on food waste. In fact, Parliament recently called upon the European Commission to take measures in order to cut food waste in half by the year 2025.

2. If you can’t buy eco, at least buy well-made. Not everyone wants to buy eco or organic, even if they do they may not be able to afford buying the “green” items they need. In cases like that it is best to buy well-made. Buy items that will last for years and years to come, not disposable items that have to constantly be replaced.

Image by Joshua Hoffman / Creative Commons

3. Toss your work waste out the window. Not literally, of course. What I mean is while you are at work, take a look at some of your daily routines. Becoming aware of what you do day to day will allow you to see what wasteful actions you can remove from your routine. Do you print documents only to then toss them because you no longer need them? Do you buy bottled water rather than filling up your cup or mug at the water cooler? Do you leave your computer on at night? Do you turn off the lights when leaving a room? All of these things add up.

4. Walk away from your problems. Now this I mean literally. If you are feeling down, maybe a little blue or your having trouble resolving an issue at work or home, go for a walk. Going for a walk can help you clear your mind, allow you to get some time outdoors, add a little exercise into your day, and to top if off, you may just find yourself relaxed enough to be able to resolve those issues.

5. Cut down on water waste. Admit it, wasting water is something most of us do without even thinking about it. You turn on the water to brush your teeth, wash a dish, water the plants, etc. and all of a sudden you notice the faucet has been running a lot longer than it really needed to be.

The easiest way to cut down on water waste is to be aware of your actions. Turn on the water, use what you need, turn it off. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine half-full. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers. Don’t leave your sprinklers running on rainy days. A bonus for cutting down on water waste is you’ll probably notice a drop in your water bill too.

Image by Diego Torres Silvestre / Creative Commons

6. Fresh air is your friend. Many people spend the majority of their day indoors. Indoor air pollution is a big problem. You may not know how it affects you, but indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor air pollution. One of the simplest ways to lower indoor air pollution is to air out your home by leaving your windows open at least once a day. Here are a few more ways to reduce indoor air pollution.

7. Reduce, reuse and recycle. Okay, that is really three things, but they really go together. One of the most basic ways to green your everyday routine is by taking a look at your regular actions and determining how you can either reduce, reuse or recycle. How can you reduce your vehicle emissions? How can you reuse that material you are about to throw away? What can you recycle?

When it all comes down to it, many of us have “green” actions built into our daily routines right now. Take some time and see how you can make your daily routine a little greener. Then let me know – I’d love to hear what you are doing to green your everyday routine!

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The holidays are here and as we all scramble to finish up our shopping or finalize those last minute plans, I wanted to take a moment to wish each of you a happy holiday. Here are my biofriendly wishes to you and yours:

1. May your days be filled with smiles, laughter and other eco-friendly ways to brighten your spirits and lift your mood.

2. May the beauty of nature draw you outside to experience the natural wonders of the world around you.

Image by Per Ola Wiberg / Creative Commons

3. May you have lower emissions and higher fuel efficiency as you travel to visit friends and loved ones.

4. May your house be filled with natural decorations, soy candles, and plants that help clean the air and improve your indoor air quality. A healthy dose of fresh air wouldn’t hurt either.

5. May you have little waste, and may you finds way to recycle, reuse and reduce during the holiday season.

6. May your meals feature lots of organic, healthy and local foods, like those found in these gourmet vegetarian recipes, perfect for Christmas dinner.

Image by Andy Roberts / Creative Commons

7. May you have just enough food to provide for you and your loved ones. May any leftovers find their way back to the table to be used and enjoyed. And may your compost be your friend.

8. As often as possible, may your home be warmed by the natural heat of visiting family and friends. The rest of the time, may your home heating oil be tempered with a little Green Plus® to reduce your costs and help save the environment.

Image by Cody / Creative Commons

9. May you take the time to unplug, both at work and home, during the holidays. I don’t mean just log off your computer, unplug. Even those of you who do not have time off work should spend your downtime unplugged. Who knows, you may find you like it.

10. For those of you with kids (or even for those of you who do not have kids), my friend Bethe says it best with her 12 Days of Christmas: Kicking it Grass Stain Guru Style!

Image by Biofriendly

Last, but not least, may the following quotes help inspire your actions and activities throughout the holiday season and into the new year:

“ Take care of the earth and she will take care of you.“  ~Author Unknown

“There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.“  ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.“  ~Native American Proverb

Wishing you and yours a truly biofriendly holiday!

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Although November 15th, 2011 is the official America Recycles Day, there are actions each of us can take every day of the year to increase recycling and reduce waste. You are probably already aware of the importance of recycling and why it is better for the environment. Maybe you even take steps now and again to recycle. The question is…how can you contribute today, right now, to the recycling movement?

Here are 5 easy ways to contribute on America Recycles Day:

1) Take the America Recycles Day pledge: New Year’s resolutions, personal declarations, and all manner of decisions start with a pledge. Pledging you will do something is one of the first steps towards reaching your goal.

2) Get yourself a recycling bin: Think about it. Whether large or small, a recycling bin serves to remind you, on a daily basis, that you should recycle certain items rather than trash them.

3) Get educated: Learning what can and cannot be recycled is key. There are many things people throw away which could in fact be recycled. Take a few minutes and get yourself educated.

4) Switch from disposables to reusables: Go through your home and find one-use, disposable items. Figure out what reusable items you could use instead and use those. In other words, instead of grabbing a bottle of water, grab a reusable water bottle. Instead of using paper towels to wipe up every kitchen mess, use a washable rag.

5) Reduce your waste: The best way to reduce waste is to not buy as much in the first place. This is a key point, especially with the holidays coming up. Why buy tons of new things, just to have them lying around, when you can reuse existing items or buy/trade to get gently used items.

As americarecyclesday.org says:

“One day to educate. One day to motivate. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get Involved!”

What steps do you take to recycle or contribute to generating less waste? Even the little actions add up quickly and can make a big difference. So, in honor of America Recycles Day, take a few minutes and make a decision to change how you think about recycling.

One of the things even the most environmentally-conscious parents sometimes forget is to include their kids in on their “green” actions. I learned early on that my kids were very interested in doing things that helped save energy, prevent waste and protect the earth.

My daughter, for example, doesn’t let anyone in the family leave lights on. She immediately speaks up letting the offender know that leaving lights on wastes power and we don’t want to waste power. She turns the water off when brushing her teeth and makes sure her brother does the same. If either of my kids see trash on the ground, they let me know and ensure it gets picked up so that “the earth doesn’t get hurt”.

When it comes to any actions we take around the house to save energy, water, recycle, reduce waste, etc. my kids like to be involved. So, I figured I’d lay out some simple examples of environmentally-friendly actions your kids can take.

1 – Get your kids using reusable containers. My kids each have their own water bottles we fill up in order to take on walks, when we go somewhere in the car, etc. They also use reusable containers when they take food to day camp or school.

2 -Educate your kids on how to reduce waste. This includes reducing waste by eating all the food on their plate, only using the materials they need to do projects (and saving any leftover materials for next time), and cutting down on unnecessary packaging. To name a few.

3 – Teach them the importance of saving water. Save water when they brush their teeth, when they wash their hands, when they take a bath (or shower), when they help do the laundry or dishes, etc. Reusing gray water to water plants is also something most kids enjoy doing.

4 – Inspire a love of the great outdoors. Kids almost naturally like to spend time outside. They like to play in the park, go for walks, ride bikes, go skating, climb trees, etc. As long as they are outdoors, they seem to be happy. Don’t stifle this love by keeping them connected to the TV or other electronic devices all day. Encourage their love of nature.

5 – Start recycling. A few simple steps are all it takes to get your kids grooved in to recycling. When kids understand that recycling allows for one item to be saved so it can begin a whole “new life” as something else, they seem to get interested. Who wouldn’t? Here are 10 things you never knew were recyclable.

6 – Saving energy. Involve your kids by making them responsible for saving energy in their own rooms and around the house. Turning off lights during the day or when they leave a room. Opening their shades or blinds in the morning to let natural light in, rather than using electricity. Kids are more than capable of generating their own energy.

7 – Teach your kids about the value of using their own two feet. Not everything requires we hop in the car and drive somewhere. Many adventures occur down the block, right around the corner and within walking distance of home. Besides, walking is good for everyone. Take a look at these 10 reasons why you should walk instead of drive.

8 – Gardening. Kids love to create new things. They love to see things grow and love knowing their actions helped make those things grow. Teach them to grow their own vegetables. How to care for them from seed to table. Get them to know all food doesn’t need to come from grocery stores. They can grow their own.

These are just eight of the many, many environmentally-friendly actions you and your kids can take. Remember, it’s not about teaching your kids to be “greener”, it’s about teaching kids to be smarter. To respect and care for the environment around them and the earth itself. What environmentally-friendly values do you share with your children?

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Over the last few years people seem to be getting more and more eco-minded. Whether it be through their work, home or personal lives, people seem to have gained an awareness on what is and isn’t eco-friendly. Whether or not they do anything with that awareness is a different story, of course. But when it all comes down to it, which generation do you think is more eco-minded: ours or our grandparents?

Let’s take a look at a few different aspects of life and compare:

WASTE/TRASH: Americans generate an average of 4.4 lbs of garbage per day, yes PER DAY. I’ve seen many people not even think twice about throwing things away that are in perfectly good working order. Thankfully many people are eco-minded enough to donate items they no longer wish to keep. In terms of food waste, take a look at these shocking food waste statistics…not pretty.

Image by Kara Allyson

Our grandparents however were very particular about not wasting items. They didn’t have “money to burn”. So any items that could be recycled, reused or handed down to family or friends were saved from the trash and given another life. You knew to finish the food on your plate. Any “leftover” food was composted, saved or frozen for later.

RECYCLING: Recycling has started to make a comeback. But the real question is, why are there are so many “one-use” products available? Do we really need disposable this and disposable that? Have we opted for convenience over eco-friendliness? There are a number of materials we can recycle that will truly matter more for climate change.

Image by Phil

Back in our grandparents’ day, items such as milk, soda and beer came in glass containers. When they were done with the containers the bottles were returned to the store. The store would then return them to be sterilized and refilled. Water fountains were used for people who were looking for a cool drink of water. Diapers were cloth so they could be washed and reused. Razors and other products had replaceable parts so instead of the entire product being thrown away, individual parts were fixed and/or replaced.

TRANSPORTATION: These days people hop in their cars even for a quick trip to the local grocery store. Freeways show very clearly how much people rely on their vehicles to get around. Speed is very often a factor in people’s transportation choices, so trains, buses and other forms of public transportation have had to step up and become viable options for commuters. However, when it comes to traveling longer distances, flying is still a popular way to get from one place to another quickly.

Image by Joe Wolf

Back in the day, people walked to their local store. They walked to the post office. They walked into town to run errands. They even had electric vehicles way back when and if they needed to travel further, the bus or the train were considered great resources.

Yes, some of this was for frugality purposes, but isn’t frugality a factor when it comes to being green and eco-minded?

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ENERGY CONSUMPTION: The average household uses quite a bit energy and approximately 65% of that energy usage comes from appliances. Between all the appliances in the kitchen, the washer and/or dryer, the television, DVD player, computer and all other electronics the energy bill adds up quickly. Simple steps such as turning off lights that aren’t in use, putting electronics on power strips and shutting them off at night, etc can go a long way to cutting energy costs.

Our grandparents, obviously, didn’t have many of those items. They didn’t have machines that did all the prep work required to make a home-made meal. They didn’t have a 42″ television set or two or three in their house. They didn’t have computers, radios and other electronics on all day and night. And in terms of the laundry, they hung their clothes out to dry.

Image by Katherine

GROWING FOOD: Growing your own food is more and more becoming a mainstream activity. It is no longer considered a “hippie” activity, but is something even communities are doing together to produce and provide fresh fruits and vegetables. It doesn’t matter the size of your home either, we should grow our own food because we are humans.

Image by Simon Blackley

Many of our grandparents had gardens and/or small farms where they grew their own fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods which weren’t eaten at the dinner table were shared with neighbors, friends and family. Excess could always be canned or frozen for future use. Nothing went to waste.

So…when it all comes down to it, which generation do you think is more eco-minded? Ours or our grandparents? In my person opinion, I think we are becoming more and more eco-minded, but we have a long way to go. Thankfully we are opting for more alternative energy, alternative fuel and environmentally-friendly options, so we are heading in the right direction.

Well, believe it or not we are already half way through February 2011. At this rate we’re going to blow right by spring cleaning and straight into biofriendly tips for summer before you know it. But before that happens, let’s get in this week’s Weekly Greens. Hope you enjoy!

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1) A Quick Guide to Environmentally-Friendly Household Products: Speaking of spring cleaning, here are some tips you can use every day/week in order to get your house clean and smelling good – without using harsh chemicals.

2) A little alternative energy news: There were a couple of good alternative energy advancements I thought were worth sharing. The first was regarding Campbell Soup and the second regarding IKEA.

Then of course there’s the small matter of a magnifying film that can increase solar panel efficiency by around 300%. That means solar could be right up there competing with fossil fuel power.

But here’s a question for you, Can America Afford To Invest In Clean Energy?

3) Awareness to Action: Bridge the Sustainability Gap: Whether you are an individual or a business, bridging the gap between awareness and action can sometimes take a lot. So, how do you get started?

4) How to Avoid Storing Food in Plastic Containers: I know this one is a little over a week old, but I definitely thought it was worth sharing. Since so many of us (yes, myself included) have some form of plastic containers they use in their kitchen.

Image by RandyA38

5) Building a Park Out of Waste: I thought this was worth sharing as it just goes to show that we can get a lot of good use out of materials we previously believed were only “junk” or waste. Creative thinking helps bring about positive change.

6) The EV Project Secures $230 Million to Roll Out 15,000 EV Chargers Across the States: Now this is something we’ve all been waiting to hear and see come to fruition. If the electric vehicle is really going to take off, the infrastructure needs to be in place to support it. Here’s another step towards making that a reality.

And just in case you missed it from earlier this week, on the subject of conservation here are some “Daily Routines We Could Stand To Improve“. Remember to follow me on Twitter for more green, environmental, biofriendly and other interesting tweets throughout the week.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead. Please remember to take some time to unplug you and your family. Get outdoors and enjoy nature for awhile. There are plenty of things to see and do out there!

Image by Mahanga via Wikimedia Commons

Well, the big game day is almost here and if you’re like most football fans, you’ve already been plotting and planning for a game day get-together. However, did you know there is a lot more green going on in and around the Super Bowl…other than just the Green Bay Packers being there of course.

Before we get into that, let’s start with some facts and figures about game day consumption (as it is not necessarily the greenest of days):

It is estimated that over 8 million pounds of guacamole and 14.5 tons of chips are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday. More than $50 million dollars are spent on food during the big weekend. Popcorn is another hot item and ranks up there with the volume of guacamole consumed.

Image by bowena

Other than Thanksgiving, there is no day that Americans eat more food than on Super Bowl Sunday. One main difference though is in the set-up. While Thanksgiving is more of a sit-down, bring out the best china and crystal type of day, game day parties tend to opt for plastic cups, plates, disposable plastic-ware and paper napkins. Needless to say a lot of waste is generated on game day. Just in the stadium alone, past Super Bowls have generated an average of 65+ tons of trash each. Note that I’m not even taking into account all the leftover food that goes to waste.

Another fact is early football were made out of pig bladders, but now all footballs are made from cowhide. In fact, it takes around 3000 cows to make enough footballs for one NFL season. Here are a few more interesting facts about the Super Bowl:

Now let’s get into some of the green actions taken in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl. The NFL has actually continued to work on environmental actions every year over the past 17 or so years. They are intent on walking the walk when it comes to green, environmentally-friendly actions. This year’s preps all started with a tree:

Following that a full-blown environmental program was put into place and included initiatives designed to minimize the environmental impact of the upcoming Super Bowl. These initiatives were such things as:

• Solid waste management and recycling
• Prepared food recovery
• Materials donations
• Sports equipment and book donations
• and a Climate change initiative

As a result of these programs and initiatives, some of the following events have already transpired or are soon to transpire:

• At least 1/3 of all buses being used for Super Bowl XLV transportation will be powered by biodiesel
• Renewable energy credits are being used to “power” not only Cowboys Stadium, but all the main NFL venues and team hotels as well. This is being done through Just Energy to ensure Super Bowl XLV is the greenest yet.
• Around 6500 trees were being planted around North Texas through a variety of different planting projects to help combat carbon emissions.
• In coordination with the Salvation Army, a large donation event took place wherein students donated items they no longer needed to other kids in need. The program – Super Kids-Super Sharing.

You can get a more in depth look at green lessons to be learned from Super Bowl XLV here.

Cowboys Stadium itself even took some large steps to green their operations:

• They reduced solid waste by 25%
• They reduced energy by 20%
• 90% of the old stadium construction waste was recycled
• They use recycled plastic seats
• They have a very efficient LED display (reportedly the World’s largest)
• They use native plants and trees for landscaping
• They also have recycled bins throughout the stadium

Another example is they partnered up with Totally Green, an environmental innovation company, to really step up their sustainable actions. A bio-composting reactor (the ORCA Green™ Machine) was installed in the stadium and apparently can take up to 2400 pounds of organic waste per day and turn it into nutrient-rich grey water. By doing so they are keeping that waste out of landfills. Take a look at how the machine works:

All in all, when it comes down to it, whether you’re routing for the Packers or the Steelers, remember that a lot of green went in to making Super Bowl XLV a little more environmentally-friendly. So please be sure to do your part to keep your impact on the environment to a minimum as well. Enjoy!

Happy Friday! Another week filled with lots of interesting and informative green articles. Personally I know it can be hard to digest them all, so I wanted to snag a few that I found particularly interesting and a few that I just felt were worth sharing. Remember, it’s still January though, so there’s lots of potential for green advancements in 2011.

Image by amivaa

Come walk with me through this week’s ‘Weekly Greens’:

1) Five Animals Teach Us Less Wasteful Dining Habits: It’s always a smart idea to practice healthy eating habits. Along with those healthy eating habits go eco-eating habits such as eating organic, not letting food go to waste, re-using leftovers, etc. Well, here are five animals we could learn from when it comes to practicing less-wasteful dining.

2) Why Most Of Our “Natural” Disasters Aren’t Natural At All: Sometimes the news seems to be loaded with all kinds of natural disasters. But interestingly enough, if you look at it, many of those aren’t really natural. When mankind steps in and makes changes in nature’s design, clears large areas of dense forest, etc. we open ourselves up to potential disasters.

3) How Global Warming Threatens Fresh Water Supplies: I thought this one was worth sharing as it’s something that people might want to think about/consider. The world is changing every day and the changes will obviously affect the inhabitants of Earth (us).

4) This is your chicken commercial. This is your chicken reality: Now this is one of those articles that breaks down the idea of “what you don’t know can’t hurt you”. It makes it very clear that we NEED to know. Watch the videos (not just the commercials) and you’ll see what I mean.

5) How and Why to Eat Bugs: The argument here is that bugs can provide much of the protein people need in their diets while having a much lower environmental footprint than livestock. While I think that’s great, I don’t think I’m going to be switching my diet anytime soon.

6) Charging Ahead with Electric Vehicles: Owners Need to Consider Insurance: While it is positive news that electric vehicles are expected to boom this year, there are factors which need to be considered before rushing out to buy an electric car. There’s the matter of infrastructure, battery charging and even insurance. Of course lowering emissions is always a good thing!

There’s my weekly greens for this week. Of course there were a lot of great articles and information that I didn’t get to include in here, so you can follow me on Twitter (biofriendlyblog) and I’ll try to keep sharing some of the green news I come across every week. Have a wonderful and biofriendly weekend!

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Sometimes we all get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we forget to plan past the holidays. Yes, the holidays are important, but before you know it they will have come and gone. It’s what remains AFTER the holidays that you will then have to concern yourself with. Therefore, I’m going to offer a few post-holiday eco-tips that will help you transition from holiday cheer straight into the New Year.

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1) Recycle/Reuse throughout the holidays: There are many different ways you can recycle and/or reuse materials throughout the holidays. All of them help prevent excess waste and some of them can be quite creative too. Take for example these 4 Creative Ways to Wrap a Present. They are not only fun, but rather than wasting a whole lot of wrapping paper you can reuse materials you already have laying around. Less waste.

If you are looking for that “new” holiday outfit to wear, check out local consignment and vintage stores. They have some great Recycled Clothing for Holiday Apparel and many of those old styles are popular again today.

Image by Island Spice

And for goodness sakes…save the leftovers! I don’t think I’ve ever been to a holiday meal where there weren’t leftovers. Save them, reuse them for meals during the week or send them home with guests. No reason to waste good food, right?!

2) Don’t be afraid to return: Let’s face it, we don’t always get everything on our wish list. Many times there are items we get that we won’t have much use for, but this year instead of putting them in storage, return them.

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Why have useless items laying around when you can return them and get something you can actually use? Besides, maybe there is someone out there hoping to get exactly what you have. It’s simple, smart and less wasteful all around.

3) Curb emissions and your waistline: After the holidays (or even during the holidays) you may find you’ve put on a few pounds either from eating a little more or from sitting around visiting with family and friends.

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This year why don’t you make a few simple changes that can help you keep off the extra pounds and curb emissions while you’re at it. Limit your driving around. Stay on your feet more: cook, clean, walk, ride your bike, dance, etc. Enjoy all your favorite holiday foods…in moderation.

4) Make some early New Year’s resolutions: Why wait until the New Year when you can get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions now. You can take a look at these 10 Environmental New Year’s Resolutions to get some great green ideas.

Image by Alti Haroarson

But please keep this in mind when making New Year’s resolutions: whether or not you believe in global warming, you’ll probably agree that this planet could stand a little clean up. Maybe the real issue is how do we intend to leave this planet to our children and grandchildren? Maybe a little global cleaning is in order.

5) Tighten the purse strings without being a Scrooge: The holidays can be an expensive time of year. If you aren’t careful you could bust the bank in no time and head into the new year in the red instead of in the black.

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Thankfully, like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, you still have time. You still have a chance to spread a little holiday cheer to others a little less fortunate than you, without hurting your bottom line. So while you keep those purse strings tight, spread some holiday cheer by checking out these 5 Ways to Give Help Without Giving Cash.

Hopefully those eco-tips will help in your transition from holiday to New Year. There’s no time like the present when it comes to making a positive change in your life. I hope each of you has a biofriendly holiday and a joyous New Year!