How to reduce holiday waste

By Rita R. Robison

Each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans throw away:

• 2.6 billion holiday cards.
• Enough ribbon to tie around the earth.
• One million extra tons of trash per week.

Here are suggestions on how to cut down on waste this holiday season:

• Send electronic holiday cards by e-mail or from online card shops. You can add your own photos and personal messages. Some sites will let you send basic cards for no cost. If you do buy cards, buy ones made with post-consumer content recycled paper and cut down on your list of recipients.
• Select gifts with little or no packaging, such as movie tickets, kayak rentals, or spa certificates. Some families donate to charities rather than exchanging gifts.
• Use comic pages, old maps, dishtowels, or towels to wrap gifts. Reuse wrapping paper if it’s in good condition.
• Use reusable bags for holiday shopping. Carry boxed items instead of putting them in large bags. Many retailers provide attachable handles to help consumers carry large boxes.

Best wishes this holiday season in reducing what you put in the waste stream.