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We’re full speed ahead on the holidays. Mariah has defrosted. Coffee shops have started pedaling the hot cocoa. And mistletoe and merriment are in the air. But as quickly as we can create a winter wonderland, it can also become a winter wasteland. Over the holidays, a stunning amount of waste ends up in landfills. But plenty of things can be recycled, repurposed and reused next year. Here are some tips to get you in the spirit of sustainability this holiday season.
Invest in energy-efficient decorations.
Bright, blinking lights are essential this time of year. But not all holiday decorations are made equal—or energy-efficient. LED bulbs consume far less energy than incandescent lights. They also don’t emit as much heat, so they’ll last longer, and you won’t have to worry about that pesky section of the Christmas tree (or that 20-foot twinkle reindeer your wife begged you not to buy) burning out.
Pick a tree ... but not just any tree.
Buying a real Christmas tree is the most eco-friendly option. Tara Pike, a chair of the Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee (SNCTRC) and UNLV’s sustainability coordinator and manager of its recycling center, says a real tree far outweighs a plastic one because it can be recycled and returned to its natural state instead of thrown into a landfill.
“They’re sent through a chipper, and they’re turned into mulch. And mulch is really great for the landscape in that it conserves water,” Pike explains. “So, when you water, you have the mulch layer, and it prevents evaporation.”
SNCTRC coordinates a free tree recycling program December 26-January 15 with drop-offs all over town. Pike says they typically recycle more than 15,000 trees a year; the most they’ve done being just over 20,000. And that recycled mulch returns to local parks and Green Our Planet’s school gardens. You can find your nearest tree recycling drop-off at springspreserve.org.
But if you sprang for an artificial tree this year, don’t panic. Though plastic trees aren’t recyclable, Pike says you should reuse them for eight to 10 years to minimize waste.
Lose the gift wrap.
This one’s a sore subject because we all love the ritual of wrapping gifts. The catch is that gift-wrapping paper produces a lot of waste. A lot of gift wrap can’t be recycled if there’s glitter on it and neither can bows, Pike says. So, here’s another suggestion: reusable cloth bags.
“They come in all different sizes, you can put gifts inside of them and you still get the idea of unwrapping, because you open it up and you pull out the present. But then you store those with your Christmas decorations and use them every year,” Pike says. “I know of some families that have specific ones for each child.”
It’s a pretty cost-effective tradition, too, as gift wrap really starts to add up with a big family and friends list.
If you receive a gift in a gift bag, the tissue paper can’t be recycled but the bag can be reused.
Save those leftovers.
More leftovers wind up in landfills than we want to admit around the holidays, which is why it’s important to have a plan. Before you toss all the excess food after a big feast, consider calling Viva La Compost (vivalacompost.com), a local year-round food scraps pickup service. With a paid membership, you can deposit plant-based leftovers and organic material into a compost bucket that’ll be picked up weekly, bi-weekly or once a month and taken to a composting facility. Pike says the membership could even make a great gift.
If you’re planning to host a holiday dinner, here’s another tip: avoid using plastic cutlery, cups or plates. “You cannot recycle plastic utensils or plastic plates or paper plates. Anything that has food residue on it cannot go in the recycle bin,” Pike says. “They would all have to be landfilled. So, using washable is always optimal.”
Carpool for the family dinner.
If you can stomach your extended family, it’s always best to carpool together to the holiday feast. Less cars on the road means less emissions in the air. Just go easy on the Mariah Christmas playlist.
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