鈥楾is the season for gifts, lights, trees, and zero waste dinners.

Whether you鈥檙e celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, the Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC) has ideas to turn your celebration green and make both Santa Clause and Mother Nature happy.

鈥淭his year, we鈥檙e asking British Columbians to rethink how they celebrate, and explore new, greener traditions,鈥� said Brock Macdonald, RCBC鈥檚 chief executive officer. 鈥淵ou can still celebrate in style over the holidays, but it takes a little planning, so start early.鈥�

Macdonald鈥檚 suggestions include opting for a potted Christmas tree over an artificial one and switching to LED light strings which use 90 per cent less energy than incandescent ones. Giving experiences instead of things is a great way to reduce holiday waste, while choosing paper giftwrap that鈥檚 100 per cent recyclable can reduce the cellophane and metallic foil wrappings that end up in landfills.

To avoid unnecessary plastic waste this holiday season, decorate by bringing nature inside. Cedar branches, acorns, and potted plants can breathe colour and life into any room. They can also be composted at the end of their use, so nothing has to go to waste.

鈥淐anadians already understand the importance of a healthy environment, but sometimes we forget that everyday actions can lead to meaningful impact,鈥� said Macdonald. 鈥淪mall changes add up to big results. If everyone in Canada wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or reusable gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks鈥�

This holiday season, RCBC wants to inspire British Columbians to reduce waste in their own creative and successful ways. For green inspiration, follow the RCBC #GreenAdvent campaign on Twitter (@recyclingbc) to receive a holiday waste reduction tip every day until Christmas.

Visit the RCBC website to view and download resources on all things waste reduction at http://www.rcbc.ca/holiday-info.