Have you mailed your Christmas cards yet?

No? You're not alone. Holiday greeting cards have followed the general decline of written personal correspondence. From an environmental perspective, that's not necessarily bad news. But there's something nice about reaching out to from distant friends and family members around the holidays.

Which is where eCards can come in handy. No paper; no wasteful shipping -- and you can leave them until the last minute without feeling guilty.

Not all electronic greeting cards are created equal. There's no shortage a free cards, and some of them look great. But there's nothing festive about exposing your card's recipient to a site full of tacky ads or dubious email privacy policies. Do your homework when choosing an eCard vendor, and consider some of the paid services.

Hallmark has a quality mix of free and paid eCards. Blue Mountain has a clear privacy and anti-phishing policy. Looking for a nature-themed card? Check out the Nature Conservancy's eco-greetings.

So start typing. At least you won't have to lick the stamps.

Antibacterial hand soap is a good thing, right?

Probably not. Doctors have become increasingly concerned that the indiscriminate use of antibacterial cleansers is contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. For most people, plain soap and warm water is just the thing.

You can still enjoy the convenience of liquid hand soap by making your own. It's easy, doesn't contain potentially irritating sodium laureth sulfate, and works great! Here's a natural formula recipe:

• 1 cup filtered water
• 1/4 cup Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin

Combine in a reused pump bottle, and you're good to go. If you choose unscented castile soap and tolerate essential oils well, try adding a few drops of your favorites. Sandalwood and lemongrass is a fresh-smelling combination. Lather up!

There are about 15 billion batteries manufactured each year. Most are alkalines, discarded after a single duty cycle.

Maybe you've tried rechargeable batteries in the past, and were unimpressed by their duty life or high cost. But -- like Compact Fluorescent Bulbs -- rechargeables have come a long way in the past few years. The current generation of lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries compare well to conventional alkaline cells in terms of performance, and can be charged hundreds of times before replacement.

If you're using more than a dozen or so disposables each year, you can save money and reduce landfill waste by making the switch to rechargeable batteries (remember -- all batteries should be disposed or recycled properly). They're more expensive at the register: A pack of 4 AA cells goes for about $10, and you'll need a smart charger appropriate to your battery type and size. But at about 10 cents per use, they're a green living no-brainer. Charge up!

One of the problems with indoor carpet -- other than offgassing of Volatile Organic Compounds -- is that they are the ideal home for mites, molds, and dust.

Vacuuming is your front line defense. But carpet eventually means carpet cleaners, many of which contain the infamous dry cleaning agent, perchloroethylene (perc). We've written about this substance in the past. If you go with a pro cleaner, inquire about plant-based alternative cleaning solvents and opt for steam extraction methods, which remove as much of the chemical agents from your carpet as possible.

Postpone a general cleaning with spot maintenance. Here you have some natural options: salt for mud, dirt, and red wine; club soda for coffee stains; and cornstarch or cornmeal for grease. To control odors, liberally sprinkle carpeting with baking soda and allow to sit overnight before vacuuming. Direct sunlight is also a great deodorant. A couple of hours in the sun does wonders to freshen bathroom mats and area rugs.

Eeew ... household dust. It's unsightly. Worse yet, dust contains molds and mites that make life miserable for allergy suffers.

But the cure may be worse than the cause. As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency points out, commercial furniture polishes can contain petroleum distillates which irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. And it's not as if we need more petroleum products in our lives.

You could take polish out of the equation completely by switching to a reusable microfiber dusting cloth. If you want more cleaning power, make your own dusting spray by mixing a cup of vegetable or olive oil with a half cup of lemon juice. Apply with a repurposed spray bottle. Yields a warm, durable glow for a fraction of what you'd pay at the store!