I’m Dreaming of a “Green” Christmas

The following submitted by Rachel Brown.

I’m Dreaming of a “Green” Christmas

This holiday season, why not give the Earth a gift by reducing your holiday carbon footprint? How about wrapping presents in fabric that can be reused? Other alternatives include wrapping presents in wallpaper scraps, reusable gift wrap, newspaper, or maps. If you use gift wrap, use paper that does not have glitter, metallic foil or gloss covering. These papers are not recyclable. Other great choices are gift boxes or gift bags that can be reused.

When unwrapping packages, be careful. This way you can save the wrapping paper for next year. Wrapping paper can be lightly ironed on the lowest setting on the wrong side of the paper to eliminate wrinkles. It’s best to put a T-shirt or piece of cotton next to the paper. Don’t iron over tape or paper that has glitter, foil or other embellishments.

Unwanted, leftover tissue paper and wrapping paper, along with plastic bags, can be saved and used to fill packing boxes for those presents that you ship. Please dispose of glitter or metallic foil wrapping paper in trash. Other paper, with tape removed, can be recycled in “single stream.” Ribbon that is not going to be reused should be placed in the trash. Also remember that plastic bags do not get recycled in the “single stream” and should be recycled at a retail location or the specially marked bins at the Transfer Station just before the “single stream” recycling drop off.

To prepare your Christmas tree for recycling/composting, please remove all ornaments, garland and tinsel. Wreaths cannot be recycled/composted as there are metal wires and/or frames holding them together, and are they considered trash. If you would like to separate the greenery from the wires, then definitely compost the greenery, otherwise it is trash as no one wants metal bits in their lawn or garden. Broken Christmas tree lights are trash, and don’t belong in “single stream” recycling.

With a little forethought, your actions will help the Town achieve our recycling goals and minimize our trash removal expense.