'Tis the Season to Go Green

While the holidays beckon festivities and cheer, they also bring an abundance of waste. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the extra waste produced during the holidays amounts to about one million additional tons per week.

“Americans throw away 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, compared to any other time of the year,” said Miriam Cardenas, Waste Management Community Relations Specialist. “We want to inspire and urge everyone to think about waste reduction, reuse and recycling.”

Waste Management’s recycling experts are asking residents to go green this holiday by following a few simple steps to be more sustainable:

Decorating. Try a decor swap with your friends to refresh your space without the waste.

Entertaining. Always use washable plates, utensils, serving ware and cloth napkins and be sure to have clearly-labeled recycle bins available for guests. If you have leftover food, consider sending leftovers with guests in reusable containers or donating food to a local homeless shelter to avoid waste.

Gift giving. Consider giving no-waste gifts this year, such as museum, concert, or sporting event tickets, or potted plants or trees that the recipient can grow in their homes or yard. If you do buy a product, go for one made with recycled content as this will encourage manufacturers to produce others.

Gift wrapping. Not all wrapping paper is recyclable, so try earth-friendly wrapping alternatives, such as scarves, handkerchiefs, old maps, newspapers, children’s artwork and repurposed gift bags (got a shelf full of old National Geographic magazines?). Replace ribbons and bows with natural evergreens, berries and dried flowers.

Christmas trees. Waste Management will collect and recycle Christmas trees for the first two weeks following Christmas on your regular collection day. Trees taller than six feet must be cut in half. Please remove all tinsel, metal ornaments and metal stands from trees. Mulching trees after the holidays is a great alternative to disposing; consider donating the mulch to a local school’s garden.

Recycle Often. Recycle Right. Learn the basics of proper recycling year-round by visiting RecycleOftenRecycleRight.com, where residents can find out what items can go in their recycling containers, and which ones to avoid. In addition, Waste Management invites everyone to share their holiday tips and ask questions via Twitter and Instagram, using hashtag #RORR.

By making a commitment to go green, residents can use this holiday season to create new traditions that help preserve the environment for families and future generations gathered around the tree.

--Information via Waste Management (Thank you for the tips!)