Between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, Americans take an additional 25% of waste to the curb. That amounts to over 25 million tons of trash for the holiday season. So what can you do?
10 ways to trim your waste-line in 2009
These tips (with a few of my own) come from RecycleBank, a rewards program that motivates people to recycle.
1. Bring your own shopping bag for every shopping excursion, not just the grocery store. I’ve been using the canvas bags I get as freebies at blogging conferences. I make sure to keep them in my trunk along with my coupons.
2. Send e-cards instead of paper cards. Or least make sure your paper cards are made from recycled content. Scour the after-holiday sales to stock up on recycled cards now or buy them through St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.
This year I printed my holiday enewsletter on one sheet of paper. Then I folded it closed (tri-fold) and used some small printing labels I had left over from another project to tape shut. I put my mailing labels on the outside along with the stamp, eliminating the need for an envelope. Next year I plan to use recycled paper.
3. Avoid gift wrap that is not recyclable (metallic) or not made from recycled content. After the holiday season is a great time to stock up on wrapping paper, since it’ll be on sale. The comics’ pages makes great wrap for kids and last years cards can become collage wrap for any box. Or you can put non-metallic greeting cards in the recycling bin or send them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children to be made into new cards.
3. Decide what catalogs you want and what catalogs you don’t with http://www.catalogchoice.org. Or write to the Direct Marketing Association at P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735-9008 to have your name removed from ALL third-class mailing lists. Credit card offers filling your box? Opt out by calling 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688) or visiting www.optoutprescreen.com.
4. Include rechargeable batteries and a charger with your gift, but first make sure the toy or appliance can use rechargeable batteries – some can’t.
5. Trees and live wreaths can be composted. Find out where you can drop them off in your community. Another idea is buying a live tree and then planting it. My family uses aluminum trees from the ‘50s, which is “reusing,” I think.
6. Make gifts like cookies, freezer meals, dry soup mixes, or hand knitted scarves. If you stamp, make someone a set of general purpose cards to use throughout the year or a few bookmarks for the booklover on your list.
7. Consider gifts that aren’t stuff to clutter up someone’s home like a massage, tickets to sporting event, babysitting, dog walking, or a family membership to a rec center or museum.
8. Think about the packaging. If you can’t recycle it, buy something else instead and let the manufacturer know! Also, find out if the companies you buy from have recycling programs. One example is Preserve, which recycles their toothbrushes, razor handles and tongue cleaner products for free. In addition, their Gimme 5 program recycles your #5 plastics and turns them into new Preserve products.
9. Got a bunch of burnt out holiday lights? HolidayLEDs.com will accept your old incandescent Christmas lights, which will then be recycled. Be sure to ask neighbors and friends if they want to recycle their lights as well. You can reduce waste and shipping costs by sending all lights in one package.
10. Did you get some great new things this holiday season, like appliances, clothes, toys, gadgets, and cookware? Donate them to your favorite charity or non-profit. Also, gently used children’s clothes and warm clothing are sorely needed by shelters and organizations that work with the homeless and families in need.
