Green your holidays with this collection of eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas! According to Sustainable America, an estimated 8,000 tons of wrapping paper is used during the holiday season – that equals roughly 50,000 trees!

Wrapping paper is designed for single-use, and although the patterns can be cheerful and bright, the environmental impact is anything but. Think you'll just recycle the gift wrap? Think again! Most wrapping paper is not recyclable – meaning its final destination is a landfill. 

Instead, everyday household items can be repurposed into creative gift wraps for the holidays or any occasion! 

The handmade cosmetics and beauty products company Lush was inspired by the traditional Japanese art of wrapping cloth called Furoshiki. The company sells colorful eco-friendly fabric wraps in-store and online. The scarfs are made from either organic cotton or two recycled plastic bottles! They'll even throw in instruction cards with directions on how to wrap all of your goodies. The wraps are basically a gift within itself, and the recipient can either pay-it-forward and reuse the fabric to wrap their next gift in or use it as a tote, scarf, or headband.

Never heard of Lush? The company is against animal testing and all products are 100 percent vegetarian. Try the shampoo bar! Ditch the shampoo bottles and use a bar instead (there's even a tin you can purchase to store it in). Conditioner bars are available too.

Here are five ways you can reuse your knot wrap via LushUSA.com. 

Easy peasy and adorable! Check out this idea from "SustainableMags."

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• Grab an empty cereal box

 

• Cut the tabs off the top of the box

 

• Use a hole punch to make two holes on either side of the box

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• Thread ribbon, twine, shoestrings (or anything you can think of) through the holes and tie a knot on the ends

​Got a gift certificate or small item such as a bracelet or other trinket? Try this recycled pillow boxes idea from Older and Wisor. How cute are these?

Put a bow on it – you're done! How about this great idea from "Creative Homemaking?" Use your leftover fabric scraps to make fabric twine! 

Using nature to help heal the body comes with many benefits including saving money and avoiding harmful chemicals and side effects found in over-the-counter drugs. Julie Watkins from The Girls Gone Green joins The Chat to discuss how to target the most common ailments with a few spices, herbs and oils.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE >>

1. SORE THROAT - Apple cider vinegar is helpful for treating a sore throat due to its antibacterial properties. Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon each of lemon juice and maple syrup to a cup of warm water and drink it slowly. Do this two or three times a day. Soon you will get relief from the pain and inflammation. You can also make a gargle solution with apple cider vinegar. Mix one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in one cup of warm water. Gargle with it several times a day.
 
2.HEADACHE - Simply smelling the soothing scent of lavender essential oil can be of great help in relieving tension headaches. Research suggests that it can also help improve migraine symptoms. Put a few drops of lavender essential oil on a tissue and inhale it. You can also add two drops of lavender oil to two cups of boiling water and inhale the steam. Another option is to mix two or three drops of lavender essential oil in one tablespoon of carrier oil such as almond oil or olive oil and massage your forehead with it.
 
3. SINUSES/ALLERGIES - Turmeric root is a wonderful, fragrant spice commonly found in Indian and some Middle eastern dishes. Not only does Turmeric contain the natural anti-inflammatory curcumin, this spice is also an anti-oxidant. When combined with spicy ginger root and brewed for hot tea, this combination can help loosen mucus from clogged nasal passages, alleviate sinus pressure, and make you feel better all around. Ginger root also has the added bonus of calming an upset stomach – a frequent side-effect of excessive nighttime sinus drainage.
 
4. WRINKLES/STRETCH MARKS - For wrinkles, try using remedies that contain comfrey, calendula and lavender. Maca powder is also an excellent choice for helping skin remain youthful. Stretch marks can be reduced more rapidly by massaging coconut oil and shea butter into the skin.
 
5. JOINT PAIN - Cayenne Pepper is an herbal remedy made from the dried pods of chili peppers. Besides being a very popular spice in cooking, cayenne has also been used medicinally for thousands of years. Known for its spicy-hot taste, cayenne makes an excellent topical ointment that relieves joint pain. Rubbing cayenne on the affected area causes a mild irritation, which in turn “distracts” the nerves from the more severe joint pain. Repeated topical applications of cayenne pepper can reduce arthritis pain significantly. To make a topical paste, mix 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper with 1/2 cup of cocoa butter or coconut oil. Apply it directly to the sore joint. You can also mix 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and soak sore hands or feet for 20 minutes to reduce pain and inflammation.