No matter where you live in the United States, the summer season is upon you, and July 4 is right around the corner. As part of our green decorating series, Buy Owner is here to share a few ideas on how you can make your Independence Day celebration a little more eco-friendly.

• Recycle decorations from previous holidays. If you have strings of white twinkle lights stashed away in a closet, pull them out and hang them around windows or on a fireplace mantel. They can be hung just about anywhere, not solely on a tree! If you used red and white candles during the Christmas season or on Valentine’s Day, you could also put them out for July 4.

• Decorate with fruit bowls. In the summer, there is nothing like taking a bite of a juicy apple, a sweet peach or a tart pineapple. Pick your favorite fruits and arrange them in a bowl. This will add a bit of the summer season to your home’s interior and offer party guests a refreshing snack at the same time.

• Create a themed garden. If there is space in your front lawn, plant a garden and spruce it up with red, white and blue hues for Independence Day. Neighbors and party guests will enjoy the curb appeal of your yard. Choose red, white and blue flowers. They will look great all summer long! You may add some lawn accents that you can purchase from a craft shop, storing them in the garage/shed after the holiday and reuse every year.

• Be green with your food. When planning a picnic, use Tupperware. Although it may save time to wrap your sandwiches in plastic and to bring paper plates, try not to. Reusable containers will require extra clean-up later, but you will be keeping your trash out of landfills and saving a few trees. If you want to eat ice cream, a cone is more eco-friendly than a paper cup. Feel like drinking a bottle of beer, water or soda? Make sure to recycle the empty bottles/cans.