Christmas Holiday Season Reuse, Reduce, Recycle Tips

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Christmas Holiday Season
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle Tips

Christmas has traditionally been a season for giving. However, few gift recipients would welcome a gift of trash, food scraps or old tires. Careful consideration during the purchase of gifts will reduce the amount of useless packaging material, unusable product or senseless do- dads that end up in the wastebasket before Christmas day is over.

Missouri citizens are not alone in producing a record amount of waste materials during the year, but with careful planning and a clear concern for the environment and the health and safety of family and neighbors, less waste production is a worth while goal for the coming new year.

Following are some suggestions as to how this important waste reduction effort can begin.

Buy gifts that are made of recycled materials. i.e.: welcome mats, irrigation hose or surface cushion tiles made of recycled tires; clothing or items made of recycled plastic bottles; crafts or products made of scrapwood or reclaimed lumber.

Buy rechargeable batteries to go with new electronic toys. Encourage proper disposal of used small batteries. i.e.: small battery disposal programs offered by participating Wal-Marts, ACE Hardware, Radio Shack, Target, Black and Decker, Circuit City, Ameritech, etc.
Buy high quality, durable goods to reduce waste. A higher priced item may last longer and reduce the amount of junk merchandise ending up in landfills. i.e.: leather shoes rather than vinyl or cloth; high efficiency fluorescent light bulbs; or well made clothing items.
Buy living gifts. House plants, garden seeds or potted trees that can be transplanted in the spring.
Reduce waste by offering special food items or personal services as gifts. i.e.: washing the family car, sweeping sidewalks or painting for elderly family members or neighbors. Baking cookies or preparing a meal a week for someone who would appreciate the help.
Reuse Christmas wrapping. Use old maps or pages from newspaper comics, stock reports, want ads, etc. for wrapping gifts. Put gifts in decorative tins or boxes instead of throwaway wrapping materials.
Reuse good quality, nearly new items as gifts or donations to less fortunate individuals and families. Salvation Army and other local charities can help distribute these items.
Reuse your imagination in trimming the tree or yard for the holidays. Take time to recondition strings of lights that may only need a few bulbs. Create ornaments out of items that can be painted or decorated for a new look. Recycle old materials into new decorations.
Reuse the Christmas tree. Temporarily it can be set up outside as a shelter and feeding site for birds. Some communities offer pickup service so the tree can become landscape mulch, brush piles for wildlife shelter or when properly submerged, a former Christmas tree can become a hiding place and food site for fish. Remember to remove trimming and avoid improper disposal of flocked trees. DNR’s Environmental Assistance Office has a brochure available on proper disposal of Christmas trees that can be found on the publications web site.
To compensate for the harvest of your Christmas tree, arrange to plant a new tree in your yard or neighborhood next spring. Also, consider a high quality artificial tree as the start of a new and hopefully, long-running family tradition.
Consider a New Year’s resolution to try composting your yard trimmings or using worms to compost food wastes. Pledge to pay closer attention to collecting items with recyclable potential. Volunteer to encourage Reduction, Reuse and Recycling in your family and community.
Give gifts that promote life style changes friendly to the environment. For example: cloth napkins and matching tablecloth, cloth or string shopping bags, a compost bin, gift certificates to resale shops, library card, lunch box, reusable or biodegradable picnic plates, cups and utensils, recycling bins or stationary made from recycled paper.
Take the foam peanut and bubble wrap from your purchases and take them to a mailing or shipping store where they can be reused. Save boxes and bows for reuse.
To preserve the spirit of giving, don’t try to give too much. Less stuff means less waste and a healthier environment for everyone.

For more information on waste reduction, reuse or recycling, contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Solid Waste Management Program at 573-751-5401.