Holiday Shopping and Disposal Tips from Hennepin Green Partners

Via a December 16 e-newsletter from Hennepin Green Partners

Shopping and disposal tips for the holiday season

It’s that time of year – string lights are blinking, trees lots are selling out, and menorahs are on sale. The holiday season often contains a substantial amount of consumption and waste for many Americans. So making low waste and sustainable choices during the holidays is a lofty and sometimes daunting goal.

Planning ahead is an important part of sustainability during the holidays – many shopping decisions made early in the season have a big impact on what you’ll need to dispose of after the holidays.

Here are a few shopping and disposal tips for commonly asked about items during the holiday season:

Gift Wrap

Wrapping paper is problematic in the recycling process. A lot of it contains glitter, foil, or plastic and it may be covered in bows or ribbons – all of which makes it not recyclable.

Balled up wrapping paper is also an issue. Recycling sorting facilities are set up to sort flat or slightly crunched up paper, so balls of paper likely won’t get sorted correctly.

There are a lot of good alternatives to wrapping paper, including gift bags, cloth wrapping, and decorative reusable boxes. If you do use paper to wrap gifts, use plain paper, avoid anything with glitter, foil, or plastic, and flatten it before recycling. And save those bows and ribbons to reuse next year.

Cards

When purchasing cards, buy or order cards printed on recycled-content paper, consider using a postcard to reduce paper use and avoid envelopes, and opt for cards printed on plain paper so they can be recycled.

Cards that have glitter, foil, or plastic pieces or cards printed on photo paper cannot be recycled. Any cards that make sounds or light up have a battery that should be removed and recycled – batteries are accepted at Hennepin County drop-off facilities.

After the holidays, consider saving cards that have holiday or winter decorations to reuse as gift tags next year!

Trees

Shop at thrift stores for artificial trees – many locations stock up on these this time of year (which also means it’s a good time to donate anything you no longer use).

For real trees, visit a nursery or farm that supports organic and sustainable growing or harvesting practices. After the holidays, check with your hauler or city to see if they offer special pickup options or bring trees to a yard waste site.

String Lights

String lights and cords cannot go in your recycling at home because they get tangled in the equipment at recycling sorting facilities. But they are accepted for recycling at Hennepin County drop-off facilities.

Decor

It’s a bummer when your favorite light up Christmas tree or musical carolers display stopped working, but there’s a good chance you can fix it! If you need help, consider visiting a Fix-It Clinic to get free, guided assistance from handy volunteers.

If you’re shopping for décor to make your home more festive, visit a local thrift store. Many of them have a great selection of holiday decorations for a fraction of the price.

Disposable plates, cups, utensils, or napkins

It’s so tempting to purchase disposable plates, cups, utensils, or napkins with cute holiday and winter designs, and it seems like they’ll make your holiday party much simpler and convenient.

But most of this stuff is not recyclable or compostable (unless you choose certified compostable products and have organics recycling), and you still have to deal with all that extra trash.