It’s often called the “most wonderful time of the year” – but it’s also become one of the most wasteful celebrations.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, the list of waste includes wrapping paper, gift returns, food waste, decorations, etc.
How much waste? According to the EPA, American household waste increases by more than 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This translates into an additional 1 million tons of refuse each week.
Of course, the Lee County Solid Waste Department and their partner, Waste Pro, will whisk it all away, but small changes can yield a reduction of trash this holiday season. With this in mind, here are some helpful suggestions pulled from the Internet to reduce your holiday waste.
GIFTS
• Choose items of value, purpose, and meaning, not those destined for a yard sale.
• Focus on the experience by gifting event tickets, museum memberships, gift certificates, or your time and talents.
• Open a savings account or make a donation to a favorite charity in a recipient’s name.
• Give home-baked goodies in reusable containers like baskets, tins, or jars.
• Use a reusable cloth bag for your purchases and avoid store bags altogether.
GIFT WRAP
• Reuse packing and shipping materials such as foam peanuts.
• Save ribbons, bows, boxes, gift bags, and décor for the next holiday, and put them where you’ll remember to reuse them.
CELEBRATIONS
• Use Energy Star energy-efficient lighting, such as LED holiday lights and unplug or turn off holiday decorations when not in use or use timers.
• Recycle your aluminum pans that are used for cooking holiday meals.
• When possible, eliminate the use of disposable plates, cups, napkins and silverware, or buy items that can be recycled or are made with recycled content.
• At gatherings, have clearly marked recycling containers available for bottles and cans.
• Send leftovers home with guests by having reusable storage containers available.
• Freeze leftovers to be enjoyed at a later time.
RECYCLE OR REUSE
• If you can’t reuse it, remember to put as much as possible in your curbside recycling – paper, cards, boxes.
• Metallic cards, envelopes, wrapping paper, and ribbons are not recyclable as paper.
• Live trees, wreaths or boughs (minus any decorations) can be put out with yard waste.
• Foam peanuts can be recycled at local shipping outlets (like UPS).
• Plastic shopping bags can be recycled at local grocery stores.
• Donate unneeded items rather than throwing them away.
The holidays are a wonderful time of year for spending quality time with family and friends. With a little forethought, holidays can also be made more environmentally-friendly. And the careful use habits you cultivate during the holiday season will serve you throughout the rest of the year as well. Happy holidays!
