8 clever ways to make your holiday celebration more sustainable

“Real trees are almost always a better choice for the environment than artificial trees,” Hoover says, since they’re grown locally and are made from biodegradable materials. “You can also decorate a tree that exists on your property already, or even decorate a houseplant,” she says. Just be sure to dispose of it properly after you pack up the decor.

Skip the landfill, if possible, and opt to recycle trees into mulch or compost, which helps return nutrients and organic matter back to soils and nutrient cycles. Check your local municipality’s website to find out if—and how—they might be able to help recycle your Christmas tree, Hoover says.

3. When gifting, think quality over quantity.

Presents don’t need to be new to be noteworthy. “The main misconception most of us have when purchasing gifts is that in order for it to be nice, it has to be new. The best way to reduce environmental impacts associated with gifts is to reduce and reuse — and then recycle, in that order,” Hoover says. Yes, that means you have full permission to regift, or to shop for interesting finds at thrift stores or antique shops.

When you do purchase new items, prioritize those that are durable, made from recycled content and can be repurposed or recycled at their end of life, suggests Hoover.