Environment DEC
From the December 2005 issue
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Compost and Buy Recycled This Holiday Season
Wrapping paper and bows
generate a great deal of waste
The holiday season with its accompanying buying, wrapping and celebrating substantially increases the amount of solid waste we generate. However, there are many opportunities for you to reduce, reuse and recycle the remnants of holiday cheer. Listed below are some tips for reducing waste during the holiday season.
Tips for Holiday Shopping
When shopping, bring your own reusable tote bag rather than accepting a separate bag for each purchase (be sure to get your sales slip so you can verify your purchases). Say "I don't need a bag" for small purchases. Ask for the box the product came in or get a clothing box for the item instead of collecting both a box and a bag. Choose products that are minimally packaged.
Earth Friendly Gift Ideas
Give experiences, not stuff. Try gift certificates for massages, movies, dining, classes, concerts, sport events, mass transit, etc. Give of yourself. Donate blood to the Red Cross. Become a bone marrow donor. Sign an organ donor card. Donate long hair to "Locks of Love" to make wigs for children that lose their hair to cancer or disease. Give a personal service like snow shoveling, lawn mowing, babysitting, cleaning, running errands, etc. Give a gift that keeps giving. Make a donation in the name of a friend or family member to an organization that they support. Give eco-gifts like reusable tote bags, rechargeable batteries, a bike, energy or water saving devices, bird feeders, a compost bin, etc.
Donate Old Things to Charity
New gifts often replace appliances and clothes that still have a useful life. Collect these items and donate them to Goodwill, Salvation Army, local churches, day care centers, shelters or charity groups. See if your town has a "bargain barn" or "swap shop."
Recycle Cardboard and Boxes
The holiday season creates a tremendous amount of cardboard waste. Be sure to separate corrugated cardboard, bundle it and recycle it. Check first if your local area accepts cardboard and how it should be prepared.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Gift Wrap
Don't use wrapping paper. Just add bows to holiday shopping bags or gift boxes. Only use the amount of wrap that you need. Loop string around gift boxes, then lay it out on paper to determine how much to cut. Wrap gifts in brown paper bags or newspaper. Use the cartoon section for brighter colors. Wrap gifts in festive holiday fabric, dishtowels or bandannas, which can simply be washed and reused. Give gifts in baskets, tins or jars. Shred used wrapping paper to use as filler or instead of tissue. Write recipients names on reusable wooden ornaments and use them as gift tags. If you buy gift wrap, look for recycled paper with the highest post-consumer content you can find.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Buy Recycled Greeting Cards
Buy holiday greeting cards made from recycled paper (don't forget to look for the highest post-consumer content you can find) or make your own. Use postcards to eliminate envelopes and excess paper. Clip holiday cards to make gift tags for next year and jot down your favorite recipe on the back to include with a hostess gift
Reuse Holiday Decorations
Natural decorations and recycled
wrapping paper can make a difference
Save your holiday decorations, including bows, ribbons and paper, for reuse next year. Donate decorations to local schools, churches, town offices or non-profit organizations. Use natural ornaments such as pine cones, shells, dried flowers, popcorn or berries.
Tips for Mail-order Shopping
Tell mail-order companies not to sell or rent your name to other mailing lists. Ask mail-order companies who ship your holiday gifts not to use polystyrene packing "peanuts", but to use paper instead. Save bubble wrap or peanuts for reuse or recycle the peanuts at mailing or shipping businesses. After you have completed your mail order shopping, remove your name from unwanted catalog mailing lists by writing to:
- Direct Marketing Association
- P.O. Box 643
- Carmel, NY 10512
Tips for Holiday Parties
Use cloth napkins, stainless or silverware, glass or ceramic cups and mugs, and reusable plates rather than disposable plastic, styrofoam or paper at holiday parties. Rent party furnishings rather than buying things you will only use once a year. Reuse plastic margarine tubs or yogurt containers to store holiday leftovers.
Holiday Composting
Compost your kitchen food scraps from holiday dinners and parties. Remember, in yard waste composting, compost fruit and vegetable wastes not meat or grease.
Recycle Christmas Trees
Some communities recycle Christmas trees, chipping and mulching them for compost or landscaping materials. Trees must be free of tinsel, decorations, nails, tacks or any other foreign materials. Check with your town office to see if a tree recycling programs exists in your area. You can use branches as mulch under acid-loving bushes and shrubs, such as rhododendrons or evergreens.
More Ideas
For more holiday ideas, email the Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials us at mailto:dshmwrr@gw.dec.state.ny.us?subject=Holiday Recycling Ideas. And Merry Reuse and Happy Recycling!
