Whither Winter Waste?
PERSPECTIVE
Have you noticed that December seasonal activities generate a high degree of waste? In the spirit of these holidays we participate graciously and generously in all sorts of activities that are often festively festooned with items that likely end up in the waste stream (what doesn’t get eaten, at least).
For instance, UPS predicts it will deliver more packages than ever – – around 800 million of them! And FedEx will shuttle around about half that number – – all of which amounts to a whole lot of cardboard boxes, plastic bags, packing peanuts, etc.
And then Americans throw away 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week! (From www.use-less-stuff.com.)
I shan’t be overly wordy in this edition, given the many demands on our time during this month, so let’s get right to practical matters: how best to celebrate the most rewarding aspects of this season without a drag on our conscience about being overly wasteful. (As the Oregon State University Newsroom puts it in a short piece called, “Hints on how to minimize holiday waste“: Do you ever find yourself on Christmas morning, waist-deep in wrapping paper and feeling vaguely queasy?)
It can be helpful to approach our December consumption from two important angles: prevention (as in good preparation and/or avoidance); and then dispersal (as in proper waste diversion afterward).
PRACTICAL
1. PREVENTION (of undue holiday waste)
There’s been lots of creative exploration of these topics by others, so I’ll start by offering some good links to follow to find out more.
TREEHUGGER shows how to Reduce packaging waste this holiday season, such as ways to create DIY gifts made from old sweaters and 10 gifts for the Zero Waster in your life.
TOWARD ZERO WASTE (part of Sustainable Connections in Bellingham) has a helpful list to answer this question: HOW CAN I REDUCE WASTED FOOD DURING THE HOLIDAYS?
Their persuasive bottom line:
FROM THE STANFORD UNIV. WEBSITE:
Some environmentally-smart tips for a less wasteful – – perhaps less stressful – – holiday:
- Wrapping paper is often used once and thrown away. Try using colorful pages torn from magazines to wrap small gifts, and old maps or the Sunday comics for larger boxes. Avoid using paper entirely by using reusable decorative tins, baskets or boxes.
- If you do buy wrapping paper, look for ones made of recycled paper. Unwrap gifts carefully and save wrappings for reuse next year.
- Reusable cloth ribbons can be used in place of plastic bows.
- If you buy gifts, look for durable and re-usable items and resist the latest “fad” at the mall. Think of how many pet rocks, mood rings, and cabbage patch dolls ended up in the landfill!
- Look for gifts with an environmental message: a nature book, a refillable thermos bottle, a canvas tote bag, a battery recharger or items made from recycled materials. Choose solar-powered instead of battery-powered products. (Or better yet, ones that require no power at all.)
- Other environmentally smart gifts include: homemade ones, like cookies, bread or jams; a plant or tree; experiences, such as concert or movie tickets, dinner at a restaurant, or an IOU to help rake leaves or repair a leaky faucet; or items that get “used up,” such as candles, soap, or seeds for next year’s garden.
- You are probably receiving piles of mail order catalogs at this time of year. Call the company’s 800 number and ask that you be removed from their mailing list.
(Get really effective at it by utilizing Catalogue Choice.) At the least, magazines and catalogs can be recycled with your mixed paper. - If you send holiday cards, look for ones made of recycled paper. Avoid cards with foil coatings since these cannot be recycled. Save the cards that you get in the mail, cut off the front pictures, and reuse as “postcards” next year. This saves on postage, too. Send electronic cards or make a phone call instead!
2. DISPERSAL (of holiday waste material)
For Bellinghamsters, see the informative SSC hand-out on Holiday Waste in the Resource section of this blog, which tells of their process for tree disposal. See also:
FAQ: What types of holiday wrap and packaging are accepted for recycling or in the FoodPlus program?
Other holiday waste notes from SSC:
Scouts Tree Recycling Project – FYI
Saturday, January 5, 2019. Bellingham area customers can get more info via Scouts:
Rachel Laidlaw, 682-800-4007.
Curbside Recycling: Yes, please put in your Mixed Paper bin:
- Wrapping paper and paper gift bags—but no foiled paper, please. Remove handles.
- Gift-wrap paper tubes and packaging, including paper stuffing, inserts, wraps, boxes, etc.
- All cards, tags and envelopes regardless of how much extra material, like glitter, is on them.
Holiday lights, extension cords and wire: Bundle, tie and place NEXT to recycling bins for pick-up. (Or recycle with other metals.)
NON-Recyclable Holiday Items (Landfill)
- Ribbons, bows (reuse! or throw away), gift bag handles (plastic) & foiled gift wrap
- Styrofoam™ (reuse “peanuts” or recycle through a local mailing store!)
- Light bulbs, broken ornaments and tinsel
5 Tips for What to Do with Your Holiday Waste
Adapted from : Inhabitat.com
HAVE A SWAP PARTY
You may not be in love with the fringed, mesh muscle shirt that one of your over-zealous co-workers gave you, but someone else might go gaga over it! Planning a swap party is simple: just invite a few friends to bring over their unwanted gifts, serve some yummy snacks and beverages, and let the trading begin! For an added dose of excitement, play the classic gift-switching game White Elephant.
REGIFT
If you’ve got a gift that you think someone else will enjoy more than you will, why not give it to them? Better yet, start a ‘gift drawer’ to collect new beautiful items that you can see being perfect for future birthdays, housewarmings, etc.
DONATE UNWANTED PRESENTS
The most generous way to discard unwanted toys, clothes and electronics after the holidays is also the easiest. Donate to local shelters, charities or Goodwill. Dropping items off on the way to do errands is a cinch and in many cases, pickups can be arranged free of charge.
RECYCLE OLD ELECTRONICS
Before you trash your old TV, mp3 player or computer to make way for your newly acquired goodies, consider how dangerous e-waste is for the environment and for human beings. Check out the EPA’s page on how to find recycling locations to dispose of your electronics safely and maybe even get you a discount on some new ones!
SAVE (OR RECYCLE) GIFT-WRAP
This one’s a no-brainer but it still rings true: save and reuse your gift-wrap. As hard as it is to be patient to see what’s awaiting inside wrapped presents, it is worth reusing your wrapping paper! If you can be patient, carefully unwrap your gift. Trim the ripped or taped portions, as needed, and save for next year.
The following is adapted from the Residential Waste Systems blog (Connecticut):
Broken/Old Holiday Lights
- As your old lights wear out, opt for LED lights, which last longer and are more energy efficient than traditional bulbs.
- DO NOT place strands of lights in your recycling or garbage bins. Instead, see if any local retailers (that sell lights) have a recycling program that accepts holiday lights. Some stores will even offer you discounts toward new lights for purchase. If not, check your city’s local recycling centers to dispose of them properly. (In Bellingham area, our waste collector, SSC, says to coil or bundle Holiday Lights and tie them up using string, rubber band, twist tie, then place next to recycling bins for pick-up.)
Broken/Old Ornaments
Ornaments are going to break from time to time, especially during the packing and unpacking of them. Broken ornaments (glass or plastic) usually cannot be recycled and must be thrown into the garbage. Make sure you wrap the sharp-edged broken ornaments in paper so they do not pierce the bag or the workers who collect the garbage.
- Next Season: Store ornaments in organized plastic bins with cushioned dividers to avoid any breakage during the packing and unpacking of decorations. You should also opt for more wooden decorations, since these won’t break as easily.
FINER POINT 
TrashBackwards’ Un-Shopping List: 100 Things You Never Need To Buy
This inventive year-round portrayal offers lots of ideas for DIY things to create as gifts. It also provokes lots of other productive thoughts.
Have a great – – and thoughtful – – season. Many thanks for your good efforts! —
