Enjoy an Eco-Friendly Holiday

Recycle your dollars locally. Support the small businesses and merchants in Swampscott by doing some holiday shopping in town. Consider a gift or gift certificate from a local restaurant, florist, jewelry or gift shop, art or framing gallery, clothing store, book store, bakery or hair salon.

BYOBags. Bring your own reusable bags whenever shopping. (In the US over 100 billion plastic bags are used annually and only 5% are recycled; the rest end up as litter, in landfills, or incinerated which wastes the resources used to make them.)

Wrap it up with recyclables!  With a little creativity, items found around the home can be used for gift wrapping, such as fabrics, magazine and newspaper pages, craft and economy grade paper. Decorate a box and reuse year after year. Some gifts need little wrapping such as a stock pot filled with kitchen items for the cook in the family or a duffel bag filled with sporting goods

Less packaging/more appreciated. Gift cards, membership to a museum or gym, gifts of food, a donation to a non-profit organization or local charity are a few suggestions. Give a gift certificate of your time or talent (dog walking, photography, computer instruction, etc.).

Reuse and recycle holiday cards. Here’s how: http://www.ehow.com/how_9171_recycle-reuse-holiday.html

Old woolens?  Donate winter clothing (gloves, hats, jackets, sweaters) to a local shelter or agency, i.e. Lynn Emergency Shelter 781-581-0739, where items are given directly to those in need.

Don’t trash Christmas lights! Recycle broken lights and feel good knowing that the copper, glass and plastic will be reused! Here are two options: http://www.holidayleds.com/holidayledscom_christmas_light_recycling_program http://www.christmas-light-source.com/Christmas-Lights-Recycling-Program_c_210.html

Christmas tree pick up.  Swampscott tree pick-up is during the weeks of Jan. 9 and Feb. 6, 2012 on the regular collection day. Don’t toss your tree curbside until pickup day; it may get covered with snow and end up left behind. Be sure to remove the decorations and lights as trees will be shredded.