Madison White is a Journalism Senior and news reporter for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Waste production in the U.S. increases over the holiday season. A lot.
Some of us gather for gift exchanges and use large amounts of packaging and wrapping materials. Our big meals produce more food scraps than usual. We throw out old decorations and buy new ones.
I am guilty of it all, too, but this year I’m trying to make changes to minimize what ends up in landfills. After all, we only have so much space in the ground for waste.
Every year Americans generate around 40 million pounds of gift wrap waste and enough ribbon to wrap around the earth, according to the Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA).
With an increase in waste during this time of year, it is important to know how to properly dispose of materials and consider more sustainable ways to participate in holiday traditions.
The IWMA is a public agency that helps to manage local solid waste systems. Its website has resources for the public such as a recycling guide to educate residents about how to sort their waste. Users can search for an item and learn which bin it belongs in: garbage, organics or recycling. I highly recommend you take advantage of this guide when you are unsure of how to dispose of an item.
SLO County Holiday Recycling Guide courtesy of IWMA
The biggest issues in San Luis Obispo County during the holidays are improper disposal of Christmas lights and wrapping paper, IWMA Executive Director Peter Cron said.
Lights get tangled in sorting facilities and should be taken to an E-waste location. Most wrapping paper, except craft paper, should be put in the trash because the bright-colored dyes contaminate the paper stream, he said.
Not all waste produced during this time is hard to recycle, though. Old Christmas trees are great for the organics bin because they are taken to the local anaerobic digestion facility that turns organic material into compost and harnesses the biogas to power around 600 homes. The cardboard boxes that house many presents are also easily recyclable.
However, “the best waste is the waste never generated,” Cron said.
Instead of wrapping paper, try a gift bag that can be reused year after year. I’m going to rifle through my family’s bin of gift bags when I get home. If you really want to wrap a gift, newspaper and craft paper are the most easily recyclable options.
Yes, it’s nice to have the fancy, colorful wrapping paper. But while its appeal is short-lived, its impact on our environment can last years.
To cut down on overall waste, consider gifting thrifted items or shared experiences. Don’t tell my little brother, but I’m getting us movie tickets for Christmas instead of buying him something he probably won’t use. Spending time with our loved ones is priceless. We don’t have to buy brand new items, despite all their marketed appeal, to make people feel special.
This holiday season, let’s all take the time to think about the impact we all have on the environment and where you can make sustainable changes. There are plenty of ways to still be festive without contributing to our climate crisis.
“I hate to be a grinch, but don’t buy as much stuff,” Cron said.
