2008 is coming to a close, and it's time to look back at what we have learned this year and make some positive changes, and that includes being more eco-friendly. There is no better time than New Years for new beginnings, and we've got the low down on how to make your New Years celebration - as well as the rest of 2009 - a whole lot greener.

1. Stay home and party. Going out to celebrate the year end with friends brings a certain excitement, but staying home and hosting your own bash will save transportation emissions and of course - money. You'll also have more control over the food and drinks that are served, as well as the paper waste that goes along with them! Send email invites and save even more paper. Plus, your friends can crash at your house if they've had too much bubbly.

2. Choose glass over paper. It's New Years, and there are bound to be some beverages consumed. Serve drinks in glasses, so you won't end up with a pile of wasted plastic cups. You can even find disposable cups made from recycled paper - like Treecycle - and then you can compost the cups after the event!

3. Serve organic appetizers. Your guests are probably going to expect some kind of nourishment whilst partying - satisfy their appetites and keep it green by serving healthy, organic appetizers like homemade salsa, hummus, fresh fruit and veggie trays. Double points for scoring your nosh from local farmers markets or vendors - just check Local Harvest to find locally grown produce in any part of the country.

4. Pour green drinks. (No, not like on St. Patrick's Day!) You're going to need something to put in those biodegradable or glass cups, keep it eco-friendly by choosing organic vodka mixed with juice from your local orchard, beer from the brewery one town over, or biodynamic wine. If you're feeling extra inspired, you can even attempt to make your own.

5. Make your own party favors and noise makers. It just wouldn't be New Years without hollering while shaking something noisy and wearing a ridiculous hat - but that doesn't mean you have to buy wasteful products from the party store. Make your own decorations out of recyclable materials - like soda can lanterns, plastic bottle snowflakes, nutshells in a can or cardboard tube, dried beans inside two stapled-together paper plates. Don't think of it as cheap - think of it as retro. Economical and eco-friendly.

6. Stay green all year long. Your environment saving habits don't have to end when the clock strikes midnight - make a resolution to be kinder to the earth in 2009. Losing weight, eating healthy and quitting smoking aren't just good for your body - they're good for the environment! Save money by saving electricity, ditch the car and bike it to work or school, downsize by cutting clutter and donating your old threads and furniture to a shelter. Recycling is great, but don't forget the other two R's - REDUCE and RE-USE!

And just for fun - here are some interesting numerical facts about New Years!

- 1907: Year the first Times Square ball was dropped in New York City.

- 1 million: Number of people who fill the square on New Year's Eve; an additional 1 billion-plus watch from home.

- 2,668: Waterford Crystals that comprise the ball.

- 32,256: LED lights inside the ball that can produce more than 16 million colors and patterns.

- 100 million: Number of people who make New Year's resolutions.

- 80 million: Number of people who don't stick with their resolutions.

- 900 million: Approximate number of glasses of champagne and sparkling wine purchased in 2007.

- 22 percent: Drop in exports of French Champagne to the U.S. in the first half of 2008.

Are you ringing in 2009 at home or going out?

via planet green