Have a green Christmas

Tips to keep stuff out of the landfill over the holiday

This article was published on 12.16.10

This merry time of year also happens to be an extremely wasteful time of year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw away a whopping 25 percent more trash during the holidays. Think about it: All the wrapping paper and single-use decorations that get stuffed into the garbage bin after the season. That’s just a couple of examples. This year, consider some clever ways from adding to the landfills:

• Eliminate plastic- and paper-bag waste by shopping with a reusable bag.

• Wrap gifts in newspaper or a reusable tote or basket.

• Send greeting cards made from recycled paper, and remember to recycle the cards you receive.

• Buy rechargeable batteries to go with any gifts of electronics.

• When purchasing presents, buy high-quality items that are going to last.

For additional tips, head to www.epa.gov/osw/wycd/funfacts/winter.htm.