The holidays are the time we Americans create more paper and throw-away-material than at any other time of the year. This year, take steps to reduce the amount of materials that get thrown away, and make this holiday a season of recycling.
You can recycle gift boxes, Christmas trees, wrapping paper, cards, junk mail, magazines, catalogs, plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers, and more!
Did You Know:
Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday season than any other time of year. This extra garbage amounts to 25 million tons of trash.*
If every family in the U.S. reused just 2 feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.
The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year in the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one card less, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.
How to Have a Greener Season
Use reusable shopping bags.
Send your holiday greetings in electronic form.
If you use traditional gift wrapping, avoid wrapping gifts in materials that are not recyclable or reusable, such as foil or metallic papers. Always buy recycled-content wrapping paper.
If you send holiday cards, buy recycled-content cards and envelopes. Or make your own cards or gift tags out of last year’s cards and the wrapping paper you saved.
Remove your name from the mailing list of any catalog you no longer wish to receive. Eliminate unwanted credit offers by calling 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688) or visiting
www.optoutprescreen.com.
Reuse foam peanuts or use unbuttered popcorn for packing. Return unwanted Styrofoam packing PEANUTS to local UPS Stores. Please call before delivering.
Rechargeable batteries and a battery charger are a great way to cut down on the consumption of batteries.
Recycle your tree and wreath.
Learn more at www.holidayrecycling.com and view the Reduce and Reuse This Holiday Season video.
* Bob Lilienfeld/The Use Less Stuff Report
