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Living Green Expo > 365 Newsletter > Archive
Living Green 365 Newsletter
December 2007: The season of giving
In the spirit of the season, share these living green ideas with your family and friends. It's as easy as forwarding the newsletter — see the link at the bottom of the page.
Season's Green-ings: Holiday tips
 Hopefully, you were able to make your Thanksgiving a little greener last month. Now that you're moving into full holiday mode, there are lots of living green ideas you can try!
- Reduce some of the waste associated with the holidays. Use earth-friendly gift wrapping alternatives, recycle your tree, and host a zero-waste holiday party. Learn more about how to have a No-Waste Holiday.
- Think about your holiday lighting. Replace old strings of incandescent light bulbs with LED lights. Strings of LED lights last longer and use 80 to 90 percent less energy than conventional incandescent lights. Use timers that automatically shut off your lights, too.
- Look for alternative gift ideas; some sample themes: Give only gifts that are homemade or have been previously owned, nothing new. Give an experience, like a gift certificate for music lessons or passes to a museum.
- Focus on time spent together, not money spent on gifts. Do something outside, to connect with nature AND your family. Check out special programs at environmental learning centers, state parks, and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Check out these resources for more green holiday ideas:
 Share your thoughts: Tell us what you think about this newsletter
It has been a year since we first started sending the Living Green 365 newsletter. We'd like to know if the tips and ideas we're sharing are helping you live green 365 days a year. So, this is your chance to tell us what you think about the newsletter!
Please take a few minutes (about five to seven) to complete this short survey. The information you share will help us improve the newsletter.
When you fill out the survey, you can enter a drawing to win a Twin Cities Blue Sky Guide, a one-of-a-kind resource — a coupon book, a directory, a source of ideas and inspiration. We'll give away a total of five Blue Sky Guides.
Please complete the survey by January 7. Thank you for your input!
Days of our green lives: Community events and resources
Make holiday cards (Dec. 15) and natural ornaments (Dec. 16) at Eastman Nature Center near Osseo. There is a fee to participate and reservations are required, so call today: 763-559-6700.
Check out the 2007-2008 schedule of events focused on Living Lightly in Our Communities. These events are coordinated by the Brainerd Area Environmental Learning Network (BAELN) and are held at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency office in Baxter. For more information, contact Stephen Mikkelson at 218-855-5001 or 1-800-657-3864.
Learn about all things sustainable at the Back to Basics event on January 12 at the Pine River-Backus School Commons. There is a registration fee for this event, which is coordinated by Happy Dancing Turtle. For more information, contact Barb Hines at 218-587-2303.
Host an Energy Challenge Block Party! This is a fun way for neighbors to learn how to save $500 or more a year on their energy bills. Minneapolis block clubs can enter a contest to win prizes. Sign up with the Alliance for Sustainability.
Missed an issue? Read past newsletters in our online archive.
livinggreen365@pca.state.mn.us
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