Holiday Recycling Ideas

Keep giving this holiday season by making the right choices by Reducing, Reusing and Recycling solid waste.

• Donate the toys that your kids received last year, and now have outgrown, to a charitable organization. Look in the yellow pages under the heading "Thrift Stores." Remember that thrift stores are not to be used as a dump for unusable items. When the store must pay to dispose of your garbage, it reduces the funds available for their charitable mission.
• Recycle your natural Christmas tree at one of the metro area collection sites. Click here for more information.
• Use colorful papers you already have, such as old maps or Sunday comics, as gift wrap instead of buying gift wrap.
• Save ribbons and bows and large pieces of wrapping paper for use next year.
• Buy the most durable product you can afford. More durable products should last longer, and usually can be repaired for extra life.
• Remove your name from mailing lists of any catalogues you no longer wish to receive. Click here, for more information
• Donate unwanted and old clothing to a charitable organization. Look in the yellow pages under the heading "Thrift Stores." Remember that thrift stores are not to be used as a dump for unusable items. When the store must pay to dispose of your garbage, it reduces the funds available for their charitable mission.
• Select gifts with the least amount of packaging
• Give environmental gifts like reusable tote bags, lunch bags, travel mugs, house plants, bird feeders, bird houses, homemade foods and handmade items.
• Purchase holiday cards and wrapping paper that is labeled "made from" recycled material.
• Purchase holiday cards and wrapping paper that can be recycled. Click here, for more information.
• Purchase holiday and year 'round cards that are remade from old cards. St Jude Ranch for children creates these cards as a fund raiser and learning tool. Contact them to order cards.

• Use one of the recycling drop-off sites if you have more recyclables that will fit in your bin. Click here for complete information.
• Donate your old computer that's been replaced by a newer model, to a charitable organization. Look in the yellow pages under the heading "Thrift Stores." The computer and all its components must be in working order. Remember that thrift stores are not to be used as a dump for unusable items. When the store must pay to dispose of your garbage, it reduces the funds available for their charitable mission.
• For non-working computers and other electronics (TVs, radios, etc.) dispose of them properly. Look in the yellow pages under the heading Recycling, and find companies that collect electronics.

Merry Reuse & Happy Recycling!