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So you want to give ... nothing to your loved ones this holiday season? Or at least nothing that'll end up on a dusty shelf or in a landfill? Consider these stuff-free gift alternatives.

Read about the ten ideas gift giving ideas at Gristby clicking here .

Green electricity is now available from Acton Hydro and the Concord Light Plant! Electricity generated from hydro-electric power stations produces minimal pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Sign up for Green Power today from the Concord Light Plant by contacting: Dale Cronan (978) 318-3102 or via email dcronan@concordma.gov.

Starting in early 2008 a limited supply of green electricity will be available in 100 kilowatt hour increments for $3 per increment every two months.

Lights Out America is a nationwide energy conservation event on March 29, 2008. On this night, we invite the entire nation to turn off all non-essential lighting for one hour. To promote long-lasting energy saving, we ask that everyone install at least one compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout the nation. http://www.lightsoutamerica.org/

This event is being coordinated in Concord by the Comprehensive Sustainable Energy committee.

Coffee, arguably America's most beloved beverage, has become a hot topic due to the incredible strain that growing puts on soil and increasingly unsustainable farming practices. The good news is that 'fair trade' eco-coffee is now widely available. See this comprehensive guide http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Food&Drink/Coffee for a greener cup of joe and put your mind at peace.

In about 85% of dry-cleaning shops, perchloroethylene (or “perc”) is used, a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers both a health and environmental hazard. So before you drop off that stack of shirts that will probably survive your delicate cycle anyway, learn more about the environmental impact of dry cleaning and about green dry cleaners: http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/do-green-dry-cleaners-exist...

Adopt the sky: learn more about how you can reduce air pollution at http://www.adoptthesky.org/?source=ozone_email2

Save money - not all organic produce is equal. Learn what produce is worth buying organic and which is OK to buy conventional. Here's an excerpt: The 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticide residues are peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. These are the ones to spend your money on. The 12 with the lowest residues are onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant.

Retro truly is rad, especially these days, and so is putting a stop to the amount of trash our society creates. Instead of buying new clothing or household goods, why not check out a consignment shop the next time you need something? You can even make money consigning goods that you are no longer using (check with specific shops for their buying and selling arrangements). Some local consignment shops include:

Reflections (101 Commonwealth in West Concord) for women's clothing

Tables to Teapots (240 Arlington Street in West Acton) for household goods and other treasures

According to the American Forest and Paper Association, the average American uses more than 748 pounds of paper per year, and waste paper is America’s single largest export by weight. Paper manufacturing alone is the third largest use of fossil fuels worldwide and the single largest industrial use of water per pound of finished product. Printing inks and toner are the second largest uses of carbon black, which is primarily manufactured by the incomplete combustion of oil.1

Guide to Earth-Friendly Papers

Buy seafood that is harvested sustainably.

See Best & Worst Seafood Choices