Holiday Shopping Tips by Reducing and Recycling
The holiday season with its accompanying buying, wrapping and celebrating substantially increases the amount of solid waste we generate. However, there are many opportunities for you to reduce, reuse, and recycle the remnants of holiday cheer. Listed below are some tips for reducing waste during the holiday season.
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Shopping Bags
When shopping, bring your own reusable tote bag rather than accepting a separate bag for each purchase and ask for a sales slip so you can verify your purchases later. Ask for the box the product came in or get a clothing box for the item instead of collecting both a box and a bag. Choose products that are minimally packaged.
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Earth Friendly Gift Ideas
Give experiences, not stuff. Try gift certificates for massages, movies, dining, classes, concerts, sport events, mass transit, etc. Give of yourself. Donate blood to the Red Cross. Become a bone marrow donor. Sign an organ donor card. Donate long hair to "Locks of Love" to make wigs for children that lose their hair to cancer or disease. Give a personal service like snow shoveling, lawn mowing, babysitting, cleaning, running errands, etc. Give a gift that keeps giving. Make a donation in the name of a friend or family member to an organization that they support. Give eco-gifts like reusable tote bags, rechargeable batteries, a bike, energy or water saving devices, bird feeders, a compost bin, etc. Secondhand or antique shops are great places to do holiday shopping.
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Old Batteries
Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany your electronic gifts, and consider giving a battery charger as well. Rechargeable batteries reduce the amount of potentially harmful materials thrown away and can save money in the long run.
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Donate Old Things to Charity
New gifts often replace appliances and clothes that still have a useful life. Collect these items and donate them to Goodwill, Salvation Army, local churches, day care centers, shelters or charity groups. See if your town has a "bargain barn" or "swap shop" or use sites such as craigslist online. |
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Recycle Cardboard and Boxes
The holiday season creates a tremendous amount of cardboard waste. Be sure to separate corrugated cardboard, bundle it and recycle it. Check first if your local area accepts cardboard and how it should be prepared. |
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Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Gift Wrap
Just add bows to holiday shopping bags or gift boxes instead of wrapping paper. Only use the amount of wrap that you need. Loop string around gift boxes, then lay it out on paper to determine how much to cut. Wrap gifts in brown paper bags or newspaper. Use the cartoon section for brighter colors. Wrap gifts in festive holiday fabric, dishtowels or bandannas, which can simply be washed and reused. Give gifts in baskets, tins or jars. Shred used wrapping paper to use as filler or instead of tissue. If you buy gift wrap, look for recycled paper with the highest post-consumer content you can find. |
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Buy Recycled Greeting Cards
Buy holiday greeting cards made from recycled paper or make your own. Use postcards to eliminate envelopes and excess paper. You can also try sending electronic greeting cards to reduce paper waste. Clip holiday cards to make gift tags for next year and jot down your favorite recipe on the back to include with the gift. |
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Holiday Lights
Turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. Doing so will not only save energy, but will also help your lights last longer.
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Reuse Holiday Decorations
Have a create-your-own-decorations party! Invite family and friends to create and use holiday decorations such as ornaments made from old greeting cards or cookie dough, garlands made from strung popcorn or cranberries, wreaths made from artificial greens and flowers, and potpourri made from kitchen spices such as cinnamon and cloves.
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Holiday Pictures
Use your own camera instead of a disposable one to reduce waste while capturing holiday memories. Consider buying a digital camera so that you don't have to use film and only print the pictures you want to keep.
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Tips for Mail-Order Shopping
Tell mail-order companies not to sell or rent your name to other mailing lists. Ask mail-order companies who ship your holiday gifts not to use polystyrene packing "peanuts", but to use paper instead. Save bubble wrap or peanuts for reuse or recycle the peanuts at mailing or shipping businesses. After you have completed your mail order shopping, remove your name from unwanted catalog mailing lists. |
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Tips for Holiday Parties
Use cloth napkins, stainless or silverware, glass or ceramic cups and mugs, and reusable plates rather than disposable plastic, styrofoam or paper at holiday parties. Rent party furnishings rather than buying things you will only use once a year. Reuse plastic margarine tubs or yogurt containers to store holiday leftovers. |
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Holiday Composting
Compost your kitchen food scraps from holiday dinners and parties. Remember, in yard waste composting, compost fruit and vegetable wastes not meat or grease.
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