Last Updated: November 30, 2025
At Adopt A Highway Maintenance Corporation®, our mission is built on environmental stewardship—a concept that extends from the roads we clean to the homes we return to. The holiday season, while joyful, often generates a significant spike in waste and energy consumption. See EPA’s Green Your Holiday Guide
To help you align your personal values with your holiday plans, we’ve updated this list of five easy ways to be more sustainable this season. These minor adjustments require little effort but collectively create a substantial positive impact on the environment.
🎄 5 Ways to Keep Your Holiday Green
1. Maximize Efficiency with LED Lights
An easy way to become more eco-friendly is to switch your holiday lighting to LED lights. These modern bulbs are up to 80% more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lights, drastically reducing energy usage during the peak holiday season. By reducing consumption, you directly lower your electricity bill and minimize strain on the power grid.
2. Choosing the Right Christmas Tree
The debate between real and artificial trees is often misunderstood. A high-quality real Christmas tree usually comes from dedicated tree farms that grow trees specifically for harvest. These trees absorb carbon dioxide while they grow and are biodegradable. Trees that grow quicker, such as Pine and Douglas fir, are typically more sustainable than oil-based, non-recyclable artificial trees, which often end up in landfills. The most sustainable choice is always to compost or recycle your real tree responsibly after the season ends.
3. Opt for Reusable or Recycled Packaging
Have you considered how much packaging waste is created in just one day? From excess retail packaging to decorative paper, the volume is staggering. Combat this issue by focusing on two key solutions:
- Recycled/Recyclable Wrapping Paper: Choose paper made from post-consumer materials or look for brands that offer 100% recyclable, non-metallic options.
- Fabric or Reusable Totes: Eliminate traditional single-use wrapping by using decorative cloth bags or scarves (Furoshiki) that can be reused year after year.
4. Embrace Sustainable and Experiential Gifts
When choosing gifts, shift away from products wrapped in excessive plastic and focus on natural, long-lasting items. Look for goods made from truly sustainable materials, such as organic bamboo, locally sourced wood, recycled glass, or certified organic cotton. Even better, consider gifting experiences (tickets, classes, dinners) to eliminate product waste while creating lasting memories.
5. Minimize Food Waste and Maximize Composting
Food waste spikes during the holidays. Reducing the amount of edible food that ends up in landfills is a high-impact, sustainable action.
- Smart Shopping: Plan meals precisely to avoid overbuying.
- Leftover Creativity: Encourage guests to take home food in reusable containers.
- Composting: Commit to composting food scraps (vegetable peels, coffee grounds, etc.) to divert organic matter from landfills, where it would otherwise release methane.
🤝 Aligning Your Brand’s Commitment with Community Impact
While making small changes at home is vital, companies can drive massive, lasting environmental change through their core business models and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
The Adopt A Highway® / Sponsor A Highway® Program allows your business to take the personal spirit of sustainability and scale it into a high-visibility, measurable commitment. By funding professional cleanup and maintenance, your company’s name is visibly linked to protecting the shared environment, reinforcing your brand’s dedication to the community 24/7/365.
This holiday season, think beyond the small scale. Encourage your clients and customers to practice these five tips, and show them that your company’s commitment is much larger by investing in tangible environmental stewardship.