Be environmentally aware for the holidays.

With its traditions of buying and giving presents, hosting parties, and doing all-out decorating, December is probably the biggest consume-and-throw-away time of the year, says Margaret Lincoln, environmental education coordinator at Indiana University's Bradford Woods campus. Keeping environmental concerns in mind during the holidays needn't put a damper on the good times, Lincoln maintains. "Basically, people just need to remember the `three it's' of conservation: reduce, reuse, and recycle--just as I hope they would the rest of the year." The following is her list of how to be environmentally conscious this holiday season:

1. Purchase gift items with little or no packaging.

2. If you can't avoid buying something wrapped in packaging, try to make sure it's in recyclable plastic, cardboard, or paper.

3. Conserve electricity. Turn off outside and interior decorations and tree lights when you go to bed.

4. Save gasoline by planning shopping excursions using the shortest routes and getting as much done as possible in one or two trips.

5. Carpool with friends and family on shopping trips.

6. Consider "recycling" gifts. Something old and discarded by one person may be a delightful new find for another. Think of antiques as gifts for those who would enjoy them.

7. Increase the oxygen levels in the atmosphere by obtaining a live tree and then planting it in your yard in the spring.

8. Encourage family members to use their...