Dear Harry:

Which do you prefer -- a real Christmas tree or the artificial type? -- Bob

Dear Bob:

Ah, the Chirstmas tree dilemma. This keeps environmentalists up at night. Some suggest using an artificial tree; some say it's better to use the real thing. Many apartments don't allow real trees. They are a fire hazard. Artificial trees can be used over and over, and you can pass them on to your kids as a moving-out gift. You can donate them to institutions or make wreaths out of them when they no longer function as a tree.

Real trees are harvested from areas that are being cleared or grown as crops by tree farmers. This adds to our oxygen supply and absorbs carbon dioxide for as long as the trees live. Growers say that for every tree cut down, 10 are replanted. This makes positive ecological sense. Make sure that after Christmas, the tree is chipped and/or composted. You can use the chips around trees or burn them in your fireplace.

Dear Harry,

Each year we purchase wrapping paper by the yard. Do you have any suggestions for a more suitable way? -- S. Clause

Dear S. Clause:

You don't need to buy gift wrap. Every one just tears it to shreds. You have all you need at your fingertips -- the newspaper, this article, the comic section, all the flyers you get in the mail, old scrpas of wallpaper, egg cartons, old colorful posters, fabric scraps, or the famous present within a present: a hat wrapped in a matching scarf, a piece of jewelery in a decorative bow, a baby's sleeper wrapped in a receiving blanket, homemade cookies in a reusable tin or cookie jar. Choose a cloth bag or a knitted bag that can be reused over again. You've got the idea: any suggestions you can come up with.

Dear Harry:

Are there certain types of gifts that we should consider staying away from? -- D.S.

Dear D.S.:

These gifts tend to be on the environmental black list: Exotic pets, including birds and retiles. Many are rare and a lot are smuggled. About 10 die for every one that lives when they are smuggled. Ivory of any kind. We've lost half of the world's elephants in the past 10 years of illegal poaching. Tropical hardwoods, like teak, mahogany, stainwood, rosewood or liana. Disposables of any kinds, i.e.: cameras and non-rechargeable batteries.

Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year, both for consumers and businesses. It is also one of the worst times of the year for garbage. With all the gift-giving that takes place, the garbage keeps piling up. In this column, we talked about ways to reduce that waste. It's up to you to do your part. Wherever you can, reduce or reuse this season! Let that be your present to the world.