TREATS
When it comes to holiday food, buy local. Sometimes food that's "close" to the area has been shipped 500 miles, Dulys-Nusbaum said.
Buying local doesn't have to be restrictive.
"You don't have to give up holiday traditions to be green," Budowle said. She also said to buy fruits in season, such as apples, and she said turkeys, sweet potatoes and butternut squash are among the foods for sale at the Blacksburg farmer's market. Buy organic, whole and non-processed foods that can be purchased at some chain grocery stores and Blacksburg's own Annie Kay's and Oasis World Market.
HEATING
Cold weather comes with the holiday season. Budowle said to turn down the thermostat and pile on the blankets and sweatshirts. For other heat-saving tips, Budlowe said to place foam protectors behind electrical outlets, as outlets can be a source of heat loss. She also recommended closing the gaps between windows and doors by weather stripping to prevent additional heat loss.
DECOR
As far as decorations go, you don't have to go all out. Budowle said to use fruits or nuts as part of holiday displays and other natural elements such as pine cones as ornaments. She also recommended pursuing thrift store shelves for decorations as well.
When it comes to recycled wrapping paper, Budowle said the ideas are endless. Use old wrapping paper from years prior, pages from newspapers or magazines, fabric scraps, and natural bows. Make gift tags out of holiday cards. Sew a gift bag. She also said to give gifts that are already in the container, such as hot chocolate mix in a mug.
GIFTS
Try finding gifts at thrift stores to cut down on waste. Also, when buying new gifts, make sure they're packaged using the least amount of material. Give baked goods as presents. Or consider giving an "active gift," such as tickets to the Lyric or gift certificates for a local restaurant, Budowle said.
You don't have to go far to find local stores that sell environmentally friendly products. Melt, located in the First & Main Blacksburg development, sells all-natural skin care and bath products. Its products are not tested on animals. Manager Maureen Lawrence likened Melt to Bath and Body Works, only natural.
"We're the only store in the area that's like this," Lawrence, a Tech alumna said. "It's better for your skin, and it lasts a lot longer. The benefits outweigh other products. You literally feel better about using it."
Lawrence said the average item at Melt will cost anywhere between $10 and $15. Lawrence said the store's prepackaged gift boxes could make great gifts. Each box contains about four or five products, and costs $36 to $121. Lawrence also said fizzy balls would make great stocking stuffers. Fizzy balls make bath water fragrant and are made with sugar, salt and essential oils. They are $5.50 each, good for two baths, and currently when you buy five, you get five free. With a college ID, students will receive a 15 percent discount on their entire purchase of bottled products through the end of the year.
Homebody, located on 119 North Main Street in downtown Blacksburg, sells only fair-trade items that are not made in sweatshops. Owner Margaret Breslau said she carries hundreds of items and they are on average $20. She sells handmade jewelry, notebooks and journals, organic clothing, and crafts from places such as Nepal, South Africa, India and Peru.
Breslau said some bestselling items are pendants made out of Scrabble pieces and paper made out of elephant excrement. Popular holiday gifts include purses made entirely out of zippers that cost $14 to $20 and wallets made out of paint swatches that are about $16.
"People think it's a little boutique, it must be expensive," Breslau said, who tries to keep her prices low. "The money (you spend) goes back to the community. You know where the items came from. There's a real personal connection."
LIGHTS
You don't have to leave the lights out of this holiday season to be green. Budowle said to purchase LED lights which are more energy efficient than conventional lighting. Buy local firewood that is from dead or downed trees. Try burning candles made out of soy or beeswax instead of those that contain paraffin because, when burned, paraffin wax releases toxic chemicals into the air.
TREES
Roll Out Farm, located in Pilot, Va., is dedicated to making its Christmas trees a little greener. The father-and-son business stopped spraying their trees with insecticides about five years ago to cut down on costs and toxins. Their equipment is powered by waste vegetable oil, and except for their cat, there are no animals on the farm.
There is a slightly higher tree death rate associated with not spraying the trees, said Jason Owens, son of Roll Farm owner, Ken Owens. But the benefits outweigh the costs.
Not only is skipping insecticides more cost effective, but it has helped the local ecosystem. After foregoing the pesticide, Owens noted that bird and praying mantis populations -- both species that eat bugs that attack Christmas trees -- increased. Insecticides do not affect the way the trees look and can be harmful to the environment and humans.
Trees are priced by height. A five to six foot-tree is $25 and six footers will cost $30. Wreaths are available for purchase for $12 alone and are $10 with the purchase of a tree. Greenery, or fallen limbs that can be used for decoration, are free as are cones that fall from the spruce or fir trees. Pets on a leash are welcome. Roll Out Farm serves complimentary cookies, hot chocolate and hot cider. The farm is located on 3774 Sunflower Road and is about 20 miles from Blacksburg.
FESTIVITIES
When you're celebrating this holiday season, remember, "Kegs over cases and glasses over bottles," Dulys-Nusbaum said. Kegs are more environmentally friendly because they use less aluminum than multiple cases of cans and are typically recycled. Also, when you're out at a bar, ask for draft beer as opposed to bottled. The glasses are reused and won't be thrown out as bottles are. When celebrating at home, use your own cups instead of stocking up on plastic ones.