Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! We will be back in a few days! Until then, enjoy browsing our archives for modern eco inspiration!

Last Minute Eco Ornaments

Time to put the final trimming on your tree before your holiday guests arrive? Use resources that you likely have around your home, such as loose buttons, to create quick last minute touches for your festive soiree.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Cranberry Ice Cubes

Add some festive color to your holiday bar display without the need to add extra waste. Sprinkle loose (compost-friendly) cranberries in your ice cube trays prior to freezing. Once frozen, fill all your ice buckets with these very merry ice cubes for an extra pop of holiday cheer.

Photo: Country Living

Cranberry Place Cards

There is no need to waste tons of money (and resources) in order to add a splash of festive color to your holiday table setting. Handfuls of cranberries (which can be cooked or composted after serving a decorative use) offer beautiful bursts of red to any tabletop. Fill small glasses and votive holders with cranberries as well as simple handwritten notes for instant holiday place cards. For an added pop of color sprinkle loose cranberries down the center of your table or around your holiday centerpiece.

Photo: Country Living

Elegant Recycled Holiday Décor

While cleaning up before your holiday guests arrive, be sure to think twice before tossing old magazines. With just a few easy steps you can transform these glossy pages into glittery decorative tabletop trees.

Photo: Martha Stewart

DIY Eco Ornaments

Create a unique holiday tree with these quick (and compostable) DIY ornaments. First, preheat your oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gather a variety of citrus fruits – including oranges, lemons, tangerines, blood oranges, grapefruits and the like – and cut into thin slices (be sure to discard any seeds). Spread the slices across the baking sheet and bake until they are dried out (about two to three hours), being sure to flip the fruit every half hour. Once the ornaments are completely dry and cool, pierce them with paper clips or ornament hooks.

Photos: Whole Foods & Whole Living 

Recycled Greeting Card Gift Tags

Too many holiday greeting cards left over from last year? Before you toss them into the trash consider reusing them to create charming DIY gift tags. The festive artwork will add an extra dose of holiday cheer to all of your presents this season.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Nostalgic Ornaments

Put old seed packets to good use this holiday by transforming them into colorful eco-friendly ornaments. Don’t have any lying around? Look to online retailers and local botanical gardens for vintage seed packets that contain unique heirloom seeds (as well as beautifully nostalgic artwork). Come January consider putting the packets aside until the warm weather months when the seeds can be added to your garden.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Christmas Decor

Christmas is only a few days away, which means these next few evenings will be filled with holiday parties. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite eco-friendly Christmas decorations from the web that are certain to warm up your home and add an extra dose of style to your next gathering.

Trail Holiday Stockings
In need of something new to hang from the mantle this year? These modern and festive stockings are adorned with nature-inspired graphic prints. Made from hemp and certified organic cotton, these stockings are both printed and sewn in Los Angeles. (www.bambeco.com, sale price $25.00/each)

Renewal Candles
These winter-inspired pillars are crafted to look like natural birch logs.  Clean-burning and fragrance-free, each candle is made from recycled wax. (www.bambeco.com, sale price, $15.00-$18.00/each)

Felt Bird Ornaments
A set of playful felt swallows is the perfect addition for your tree or tabletop this year. These German-made ornaments are crafted from 100% eco-certified wool and hang from delicate satin ribbons. (www.branchhome.com, $18.00/set of two)

Quartz Crystal Ornaments
Each of these crystallized quartz ornaments will look like a beautiful icicle hanging from your holiday tree. (www.vivaterra.com, $44/set of twelve)

Succulent Wreath
A unique reinterpretation of a classic piece of holiday decor, this living wreath is made from a combination of silver, gray and burgundy succulent varieties that require little watering. (www.vivaterra.com, sale price $89-99)

Birch Bark Trees
The perfect compliment for any console or side table, these decorative evergreen-inspired trees are made from natural birch bark. (www.vivaterra.com, $95.00/set of two)