Dreaming of a GREEN Christmas

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'Tis the season -- peak garbage season, that is. These 10 trash-busting steps can help reduce your contribution to holiday waste when wrapping, packing and opening gifts...

1. Give gifts that don't require wrapping. Tickets, memberships, subscriptions, gift cards, and certificates for babysitting, snow-shoveling and other services. Or how about just an e-card and a hug?
2. Make the wrapping part of the present. Present gifts in baskets, tins and other reusable containers. Or wrap them in scarves, handkerchiefs, pillowcases, cloth napkins or tablecloths.
3. Don't wrap presents for pets. Does Fido really care?
4. Hide unwrapped gifts and make finding them part of the fun. Provide cards with clues for finding them. Hang jewelry and other small items right on the Christmas tree.
5. Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper. They're just as attractive and readily reusable.
6. Buy recycled wrapping paper. Look for paper with a high percentage of postconsumer waste. Avoid foil, metallic and glittery papers, which are not recyclable.
7. Try wrapping paper alternatives. Wrap gifts in newspaper, comics, magazine pages, old posters, maps, blueprints, kids' art and brown bags or brown paper decorated with paint, crayon, rubberstamps, etc.
8. Reuse packing cartons and shipping materials. Use brown paper shopping bags to wrap shoe boxes and other small to medium boxes that have to be mailed.
9. Don't use Styrofoam packing peanuts and bubble wrap. Crumpled newspaper or corn-based packing peanuts that disintegrate in water are the greener choice. Better yet, use air-popped, unsalted popcorn or peanuts in the shell, which can be tossed outside to feed the birds.  
10. Unwrap gifts carefully and have designated reusable and recyclable boxes ready. Collect gift wrap, bags, ribbons and bows for storage until next year. Sort other materials according to your local recycling guidelines.