Five Great Tricks for Reducing Holiday Waste
Jennifer Nelson, Education Coordinator, Washington County Sustainability Program
With holiday fun often comes MORE: more parties, more food, more fun, more trips, more giving, more packaging. Waste in America usually increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, with up to 1,000,000 tons more generated each week.
You might be aware, for example, that Americans waste 40% of the food purchased in the United States throughout the year, at a whopping total value of nearly $165 billion. Did you realize that $293 million of that wasted value happens during fall and winter holidays alone though?
Gift giving can be another high impact activity during this season: up to 4 million tons of gift wrap is thrown away annually in the U.S. More surprising is the impact of unwanted gifts. Did you know that of the $65 billion worth of new goods returned each year after the holidays, only about 5% make it back onto shelves for resale?
Holiday travel has its rewards and its consequences too. Last Thanksgiving, AAA expected to see over 50 million Americans traveling more than 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving alone, 90% by car. By one estimate from the Clean Air Partnership, reducing this travel by just 20 miles per family could reduce holiday related greenhouse gas emissions by 1,000,000 tons.
Where others might see despair, we can see the opportunity to try new things this holiday season. Every new tradition has to start somewhere. What better traditions to start than ones that help ensure a healthy planet and enough for everyone, now and for future generations? Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Eat smart and waste less! Use practical strategies like portion and meal planning or sharing leftovers to help control your food waste this season and keep costs down. Looking for great strategies? Check out the Eat Smart Waste Less campaign.
2. Compost your pumpkins and greenery in your backyard pile or yard waste cart. Unavoidable food waste can be composted in your backyard pile as well, or added to the yard cart if you live in Forest Grove or Beaverton. Keep an eye out in the December issue of the Cedar Mill News for upcoming tree recycling dates!
3. Travel wisely. You don’t have to skip family visits over the holidays to reduce their impact. Just as you would think ahead about the cost, give some consideration to the environmental footprint of your trip. From how you get there to where you stay and what you do, it all adds up.
Choose travel options that accommodate more passengers at higher fuel efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When possible, reduce the distance of your travel and chose packages with a smaller footprint—maybe replace a family cruise to the Bahamas with a train ride to San Francisco.
Going home for the holidays? Stay with family when possible for fewer trips back and forth. If choosing a hotel, look for pro-planet practices like lower flow showers, occupancy sensor lighting, and in-room recycling.
4. Be a savvy giver:
Purchase gifts with little or no unrecyclable packaging.
Get creative when wrapping - put gifts in containers that can be used again, or wrap in fabric like Japanese Furoshiki or a bandana, or reuse boxes, paper, and bows from last season.
Buy recycled-content gift wrap and greeting cards or make your own from brown Kraft paper, bags or newsprint. Paint, draw, stamp or print designs on the paper.
Avoid materials that are not recyclable or reusable, such as foil, mylar or plastic-coated paper and tissue.
Give durable items that help reduce waste.
Homemade gifts are more personal, can be less expensive, and don’t have wasteful packaging.
Give a gift of time, talent, or experiences, such as tickets to a local arts event or lecture series, a homemade meal, a massage, or dog-walking service.
Promote reuse by giving antiques or unique retro items as gifts. Pass along family heirlooms! You don’t have to wait until you’re dead!
5. Attend the December 6 Green Bag at Washington County on the topic of sustainable holiday home décor. We will demonstrate several crafts that celebrate traditions from around the globe, using repurposed materials, and you will have a chance to make at least one. Learn more at our website, and RSVP by email (sustainability@or.washington.or.us) (so that we can tell you if it is rescheduled).
Several of these tips can be found on the Solid Waste & Recycling website – thanks for sharing! |
