Tis the Season for Not Discarding
/The winter holiday season is a time of joy and celebration-but it also brings a significant increase in waste and environmental impact. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, Americans generate about 25% more trash than at any other time of the year-adding up to 25 million tons of extra garbage.
With a bit of mindfulness and planning, however, you can make your celebrations more sustainable and give the planet a reason to rejoice, too. Here are some eco-friendly tips to help you enjoy a greener, less wasteful holiday season.
Reuse Gift Wrapping Paper or Gift Bag
Gift wrapping creates a significant amount of waste each year—but there are plenty of ways to cut down on it. One beautiful alternative is Furoshiki, the Japanese art of wrapping gifts in decorative fabric. This elegant technique eliminates the need for paper or plastic bags and helps conserve natural resources. Need inspiration? You can find plenty of simple Furoshiki tutorials on YouTube.
Use Recycled Holiday Wrapping Paper
Consider buying gift wrap from charitable organizations—your purchase can support a good cause while reducing waste. Avoid shiny or metallic wrapping paper, as it can interfere with recycling center sorting systems. Tissue paper is a great alternative since it can often be reused and later composted.
Bows and Ribbons
Add a touch of charm to simple brown paper packages-it's one of the easiest and most elegant wrapping options around. Use 100% cotton string to tie up your gifts; it's reusable, and when you're done, it can go straight into the compost. For a festive touch, tuck in a few sprigs of greenery or some bright holly berries.
You can also reuse bows and ribbons year after year to cut down on waste. When they eventually wear out, however, they'll need to go to the landfill. According to Stanford University Recycling, if every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the saved 38,000 miles of ribbon could wrap a bow around the entire planet!
Vintage Gift
Go against the grain this holiday season and give pre-loved gifts. Explore vintage shops or consignment boutiques for one-of-a-kind treasures that tell a story. Buying local and secondhand not only supports your community but also reduces the waste and carbon emissions tied to packaging and shipping.
Gently Used Toys
Many local children’s stores offer new and gently used clothing and toys. Social media networks with local marketplaces are a great place to shop online for used items. TOYCYCLE is one such locally-focused platform, with an added benefit: the toys are free if you join the peer-2-peer community. They also offer a consignment option.
Reuse Holiday Cards
Donate holiday cards to schools for arts and crafts projects. SCRAP is another great option.
Experiential Gifts
When thinking about gifts, consider experiences over material items. A day pass to the Exploratorium, California Academy of Science and Safari West are winners for kids and adults alike. Or how about a spa day, dining experience or wine tasting gift certificate for that special someone?
Holiday Lights
You can recycle Christmas lights in the Bay Area by dropping them off at designated household hazardous waste (HHW) facilities, e-waste recycling centers, or special collection sites like the Alameda County HHW Program and El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center. Many cities also offer specific drop-off locations or curbside pickup options for e-waste, so check with your local waste management service.
Donate to Kids Charities
Donate outgrown clothes, furniture and other needs to charitable groups. Clothing in good condition can be donated to those in need (drop off or pick-up). Linens and old clothing, including shoes and rags can be taken to a textiles recycling center. Some of my favorites include:
Kids Cooking for Life, Adopt A Family of Marin, Bloom are non‐profit organizations that help dress and feed families in need.
Holiday Decorations
Garlands, tinsel, ornaments and party supplies: If not broken, reuse or donate to SCRAP, the East Bay Creative Reuse Depot or your local thrift store.
Packaging Materials
Recycle packing peanuts. Check with local postal shipping stores to see if they will accept foam peanuts for recycling. Call “The Peanut Hotline” at 1-800-828-2214 to find the nearest location for a drop-off location near your home.
Padded envelopes: Reuse padded envelopes if you can. Recycling options: If the entire envelope is paper, it can go directly into the recycling bin. If the padding is plastic, remove plastic wrap and take to a plastic film drop off location.
Styrofoam: Take to a drop-off location near you or bring into FedEx or UPS.
Rechargeable Batteries
Buy rechargeable batteries.
Cork Recycle
Corks (Natural or Plastic): Recycle plastic corks and compost natural corks. Find ReCORK locations currently available in the US and Canada.
“Green” Holiday Meal
Lay the Foundation for a “Green” Holiday Meal. Use a cloth tablecloth or a washable plastic tablecloth instead of purchasing single-use paper tablecloths. There are so many option! Just look at this cute Plaid Christmas Plastic Tablecloth Roll.
Upcycle cotton or cotton-blend fabric remnants into napkins.
Christmas Trees
Turn your tree into mulch for water conservation and weed control in the garden.
Conscious Consumer
Be mindful of what you can and cannot recycle. Search the helpful What Goes Where by the Marin Sanitary Service tool to find out if material can be reused, recycled, composted or disposed of in your trash.
Yes recycle:
Glass bottles
Water bottles
Juice bottles
Plastic milk containers
Food plastic containers and lids like yogurt, cottage cheese, butter spread, cream cheese
Catalogs
Cardboard
Canned foods
No recycle:
Milk Cartons
Clamshell plastic containers (salad containers)
Pint or quart food containers from the deli
Any part of the gel packs from food delivery cool packs
Plastic cups
There are countless ways to celebrate the holidays while caring for the environment. One of the simplest ways to shift your consumption habits is to pause before buying and ask yourself: "What will happen to this item when I'm done with it?" If the answer is "It'll end up in the trash," consider a different option. Look for something that can be reused, repurposed, or re-gifted-a choice that's better for both you and the planet.
