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Green Tips for the Holidays!

It’s easy to get caught up in all the holiday craziness and forget about how much extra waste we produce during this time of year.  This article (c/o  Shred-Right) shares some helpful tips on staying green throughout the holiday season.

Ho, Ho, Ho…liday Waste

Peace on earth, good will to landfills

We’ve believed green was the most trend-right color for 25 years, and not just at Christmas time.  We’re glad to see the rest of the population embracing this bold new green way of living. Holiday time or year-round, recycling is key for sustainability.

But how do we stay green without becoming the Grinch during holiday time?

  • Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week!
  • 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: The average American spends $800 on gifts over the holiday season. Think about your time and energy spent driving all around town looking at so much stuff. Try giving homemade items like cookies, bread or jams, a plant or tree.
  • Gifts that don’t create any waste at all: concert or movie tickets, dinner at a restaurant, or an IOU to help rake leaves or repair a leaky faucet. Ones that get “used up”: candles, soap, or seeds for next year’s garden.
  • Wrap gifts in recycled or reused wrapping paper or funny papers. Also remember to save or recycle used wrapping paper. Give gifts that don’t require much packaging, such as concert tickets or gift certificates.
  • Turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. Doing so will not only save energy, but will also help your lights last longer.

Thanks to the EPA, Standford and Reduce.org  for these Grinch-free tips.