As Christmas approaches and the city is decked out in red and green, Canadians can live in a more "green" fashion by making a few changes to how they celebrate the holiday season.
According to a recent survey conducted by Ipsos Reid, Atlantic residents are the least likely to recycle wrapping paper after they've open their gifts among all Canadians, opting instead to throw the strips of paper away in the garbage.
Bernard More, a sustainability expert, said families should try to get into the habit of making more environmentally friendly decisions when celebrating the holidays.
"By slightly altering your family's long-held traditions, you can reduce waste and lessen your family's environmental impact at a time of the year when waste levels are at their highest," said More. "Small changes to LED lights, recyclable wrapping paper and reusable shopping bags, can have your family celebrating green this holiday season."
Other tips green tips More recommends include using newspaper instead of wrapping paper when packing up gifts and not throwing away kids' old toys if they receive new ones. It may be a good idea to keep them in storage so children can use them later. Families may want to consider donating them to consignment shops as well.