Recycling your holiday waste

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. Twenty-five percent more trash is thrown away during this holiday season than any other time of the year!

Please recycle

• Christmas cards
• Plain gift boxes (no foiled, colored, or printed boxes)
• Corrugated cardboard (flatten if necessary, to fit inside bin.)

No thanks, do NOT recycle…..

• No wrapping or tissue paper, bows, or ribbons
• No colored gift boxes
• No Styrofoam, packaging peanuts, or other packing materials

See a complete list of recyclable materials 

Reduce waste by shopping green

Simple tips for “greening” the holiday season by reducing holiday waste

• Not sure what to get someone? How about a gift certificate? That way, you know the gift will be kept or used.
• Consider nonmaterial gifts. Tickets to a sporting event, movie, concert, or a play are a real treat that don't require much packaging.
• Make a charitable donation in someone’s name.
• Thousands of paper and plastic bags end up in landfills every year. When you go shopping, bring your own reusable bags and reduce the number of bags thrown out. Tell store clerks that you don’t need a bag for small or oversized purchases.
• Think durable! Consider how long an item will last before you buy it.
• Always look for items made with recycled content.
• Wrap gifts in recycled or reused wrapping paper or comic papers. Remember to save used wrapping paper and bows.
• Send recycled-content greeting cards to reduce the amount of virgin paper used during the holidays.
• Send electronic greeting cards to reduce paper waste.
• Recycle paper greeting cards.
• As you make room for new holiday treasures, consider donating unwanted toys, electronics, and clothing to charity instead of throwing them away.  
• Purchase and use energy-saving lights.

 Thank you!