As we retreat indoors to celebrate the holiday season, consider these actions to help minimize your environmental impact – less stuff going to the landfill:
- Take reusable shopping bags with you while hunting for gifts. Canvas, tote, and cooler bags may already be part of your routine grocery store runs, but they are also handy as you navigate stores searching for your loved ones’ holiday wishes. Put a few reusable bags in your car to have on hand before your next stocking stuffer run.
- Reuse gift bags and tissue paper from previous gift exchanges. An empty cardboard box can serve as your household’s one-stop wrapping material center. Instead of buying new paper or bags for each gift, check your “center” first!
- Consider wrapping gifts in brown paper or newspaper and add holiday flair with markers, stamps, ribbons, or winter greens like holly or pine.
- Use the “crumple test” to see if your wrapping paper can be recycled! Scrunch the paper into a ball; if it stays in place, it’s likely recyclable paper. Wrapping paper without additives like glitter, foil, plastic coatings, or tape is usually recyclable, but don’t forget to remove non-recyclable items like bows, ribbons, or sticky tape.
- Recycle electronics that are no longer being used. With the possibility of new electronics or technology coming into your home, consider removing the old stuff. Electronic devices can contain lead, mercury cadmium, and other hazardous materials. Recycling these devices helps keep these hidden hazards out of the local Augusta Regional Landfill.