As we kick off the holiday season of giving and celebrating, there is an uptick in questions about Zero Waste wrapping, gifts, and recycling. We got you. Each year, Eco-Cycle and the City of Longmont share the Zero Waste Holiday Guide to provide ways to avoid the often-cited statistic that Americans generate 23% more waste in December than other months of the year. Here are a few things you’ll learn from the guide:
• Call it a rap on wrapping paper. Because wrapping paper is mostly clay and has very little paper fiber content, paper recycling markets are not a fan of the stuff, so it’s very difficult to recycle. But there are some great recyclable alternatives. The easiest is to just go for paper gift bags instead of wrapping paper. They’re reusable, so when you get a gift in a paper gift bag, keep it for next season. Once it’s worn out or ripped, it’s fully recyclable in your curbside recycling cart. Or get creative and use other recyclable options like posters, maps, blueprints and calendars. Or choose a reusable wrap like fabric, pillowcases, towels and reusable gift bags.
• Think outside the gift box. There’s so much pressure to give “stuff” for the holidays, but there are some approaches to giving that may bring more joy and meaning with less waste and environmental impact. Consider giving an experience like an online class, a trip to a museum or sporting event, a gym or club membership, or a donation to a non-profit group for the person who may have “enough.” Or give the gift of your talents, like organizing, repairing, cooking, and babysitting.
• Choose Reuse. When you do give a gift, consider buying used. You’ll find your dollars go a lot further for quality gifts like clothing, furniture, art, sports equipment, and many other products in excellent or even new condition when you buy used at local thrift or used products stores. Let them have the fun of picking out what they want with a gift certificate from one of our local thrift retailers or from an online thrifting site like Poshmark.com or Threadup.com.
• Check it before you chuck it. The holidays produce a lot of materials we don’t usually generate at any other time of year that we may not realize are recyclable at a local drop-off center (NOT in your curbside recycling cart). So, before you trash those broken string lights, batteries, or holiday tree, check the app. Download the Eco-Cycle A-Z Recycling app or the city of Longmont Waste Wizard app to find out where to take hundreds of different types of materials year-round.
There are a lot more resources, tips, and recycling info for holiday-related items in the Zero Waste Holiday Guide, available at ecocycle.org.
-TeeCee
Do you have questions about Zero Waste over the holidays? Recycle@ecocycle.org has the answers.
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