The holiday season is one of the most disposal-intensive times of the year, with Californians producing 25% more waste than average. Give a gift to the Earth by following these simple tips on how to celebrate the holidays with reduce, reuse and recycle in mind.

Before You Buy:

• Give something with a personal touch by making your own gifts, rather than buying something mass-produced.
• Regift: it's the gift that keeps giving!
• Spread the word about environmentalism by donating to an environmental organization, such as CAW, in someone's name.

If You Buy: 

• Consumers should always cast eco "votes" with their dollars.
• Don't buy products that contain toxic materials or that can't be recycled or safely disposed of.
• Don't buy products that come in toxic, non-recyclable packaging.
• Avoid buying gifts with batteries.
• Buy gifts that use recycled content.
• Remember to bring your reusable bags to the store. 

Giftwrapping:

• Resist the temptation to buy lots of shiny new wrapping paper.
• Instead, if you have to wrap gifts, use newspapers, like the Sunday funnies.
• Try to avoid non-recyclable "frills" like bows and excess tape.

Fake Trees, Real Trees and Holiday Lights: 

• Fake trees are often made from toxic PVC, may contain lead and have to be landfilled.
• While the real holiday tree industry has its own environmental issues, make sure to recycle the dead tree when you're done with it if you decide to go that route.
• The best solution: give a potted tree a brief (4-7 day) indoor holiday before being planted in your backyard.
• If you want a sparkly tree, consider using energy-saving LED lights.