Christmas is fast approaching...16 days to be exact and if your like me and haven’t already got into the xmas spirit, hoisted your tree up in your living or done any shopping whatsoever then continue to read a couple pointers on how to have a greener Christmas!

I’ve only now realised how much energy I’ve wasted in previous years having the Christmas lights on all day when I’ve not even been in...oops, (that’s a no brainer) but I’m going to make up for it this year with some eco friendly choices. I’ll be recycling some old Christmas cards I think and i'll be making sure to get recycled wrapping paper but even something simple like that doesn't mean compromising the Xmas spirit…

Why not use the Christmas cards you got sent last year as gift labels for this year? Someone I spoke to the other day even suggested wrapping some gifts in newspaper, hmm…sounds practical enough but aesthetically is it a good look on Christmas day that my niece has her present wrapped with The Sun page 3 models on the front? If that doesn't appeal to you the WWF has an online store that supplies recycled wrapping paper anyhow.

Not surprisingly, Christmas creates more recyclable waste than at any other time of year. The Woodland Trust, the UK's leading conservation charity, arranges for the recycling of used Christmas cards via Tesco and WH Smith. Visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk/recycling for more details. Holly, berries and ivy draped over picture frames and mantelpieces are the perfect alternative to tinsel and plastic baubles. At www.tree2mydoor.com you can buy your own holly tree so for future Christmases so you don't have to support the trade in holly branches.

If it’s buying presents you want to be ethical about what presents you buy people then check out Fairtrade and Natural Collection for a bunch of eco-friendly products that range from fashion and outdoor living to body care and natural health.

I’m sure there are other ways to have a greener Christmas so post any ideas you may have here on the blog!

Bicycles have been all over the news recently, with many cities adopting pro-bicycle policies to try and curb car usage. Also, many younger people are switching to bicycles, as it’s both a cheaper and hipper way to get around.

Many bicycles have lights for nighttime visibility—and though they use batteries, they shouldn’t be discouraged: Your personal safety is more important than the environment. But now there’s a way to be both environmentally sound as well as able to see at night: a battery-free bike light. The company Goodbye Batteries has created a light that receives its energy from magnets attached to the spokes of your bike. A pretty nifty invention, and surely a way to avoid looking like a hypocrite when someone points out your “battery-draining lights.”

Any way you look at it, your kitchen uses up an enormous amount of energy. From refrigerators to gas ovens to stoves, all major appliances that require the storage or preparation of hot and cold foods need energy sources. Ideally, we’ll find ways around this pickle by using alternate sources of energy; but for now, the only thing we can do is stick to what we have and make the best of it.

Surprisingly, or maybe not, when it comes to cooking food, convection toaster ovens are one of the more environmentally friendly options available. They use about 20% less electricity and reduce cooking times by about 30%. Take a look at this article to see a couple options for sleek toaster ovens for your kitchen, and keep in mind that they can be cheaper, too.

No, the title is not an allusion to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. When we say “staying cool” we mean it literally. It’s summertime, and that means it gets hot inside as well as out. Everyone’s first reaction is to reach for the air conditioner, but the truth is that there are easier, cheaper, cooler, and most importantly, greener routes to take towards staying cool in the summertime.

The Daily Green provides a number of options to stay cool during the summer that are greener than energy-gorging air conditioners. One suggestion, in particular, got us pretty psyched. Take two ice cubes and place one on each of your wrists, then tie them down with towels or rags. By doing so, you can lower your body temperature by as much as three degrees for an hour!

An article in Treehugger details the Osaka Candle Night, an event in which Japanese citizens try to conserve energy by attending events lit entirely by candles. Encouraged by the Ministry of the Environment, these events save an enormous amount of energy, and are slowly becoming popular around the country.

This got me to thinking about how much energy really can be saved through candlelight, and also how pleasing it is to the eye. Try candle.com, a massive online resource for all types of candles and candle holders, and also Maximum Scented, which distributes pretty cool candles made entirely of soy. And try and light your room, or otherwise, with candles. It’ll put a spooky, but exciting, spin on the evening; and who knows, maybe a romantic one too.

These five tips will save you a lot of money in the long run -- and will help save the environment to boot!

• Use a power strip

Did you know that your electronic appliance uses up valuable energy when it’s plugged in…even when it's turned off? However, by plugging a number of your devices in a power strip, you can make sure that precious power is truly shut down with a flick of the switch!

• Think reusable instead of disposable

Sure, you might not have to wash those paper plates and plastic utensils once you're finished with them. But all those disposable products are bad for the environment -- and hard on your wallet!

• Cook your own food

Rolling up your sleeves and preparing your own meals takes time, but it's usually cheaper than eating out. Plus: no food containers that will end up in land fills!

• Walk

It's a no-brainer that by walking—instead of driving—you are being kind to your wallet, the Earth, and your health. You could also carpool, bike, or take mass transportation!

• Be Thrifty

Just the act of using your money wisely whilst making your purchases will greatly reduce both your carbon footprint and your debt. Impulse buys end up, more often than not, in the discard pile.

This green mentality is all about thinking differently. What would you rather do? Turn on a light for 4 hours or throw a glass bottle into the trash instead of the recycle bin? The energy needed for that light bulb and for making a new bottle are the same. So where is the energy better spent? Okay, that might have been an easy one, but some are a bit harder because they take extra actions from you. For instance:

• Take a shower every day or take a shower every other day and save enough water over your lifetime to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool.
• Keep your thermostat at 70 instead of 69 in winter or turn it down and have about €15 extra spending money monthly.
• Continue printing on one side of pieces of paper or print on both sides and save an average of 3 trees per year.