'Best Gift on Earth'

Before Christmas

The gifts, painstakingly wrapped and topped with glittery ribbon and bows, now lie in a heap on the floor. The trash cans quickly filled, the excess sits in plastic bags for the next garbage pickup.

Does this sound like you? Frankly, this situation applies to many.

Every year thousands families spend on decorative packaging, only to add to their waste after the holiday is over. This year, don’t forget to give a gift to Earth by recycling and reusing gift packaging in all its forms: ribbons, bows, gift bags, shirt boxes, etc,.

After Christmas

What to do with the following holiday trash:

Electronics

• You don’t need to throw out all your unwanted cameras, printers and computers in the trash can, or wait for a family member or friend to reuse it. Check with your local town or city to see when the next electronics recycling collection day. The collection days are always free for residents.

Tinsel

• Store and save for next year or reuse for a child’s school project.

Foam peanuts or Bubble wrap

• Call your town’s UPS or nearby shipping companies and ask them if they would like to reuse the materials for their own packaging.

Christmas Tree

• Unless your Christmas tree is plastic like mine, consider grinding down your live tree for mulch. Your best bet is to check with the local recycling officials for when trees can be dropped off or curb-side picked up.

Cardboard Boxes

• Save for re-use or recycle. But make sure to pull out any pieces inside the box that are not of cardboard material (plastic or foam pieces), or the cardboard box may be thrown in with the trash when taken to recycling.

Plastic Bags

• I always reuse plastic bags to line the trash bins in my home office and bathroom. However, you can also take the unwanted plastic bags to recycling stations at drug stores and groceries.

Plastic Packaging Pillows

• Save these for future packaging or shipping. Otherwise, pop the pillows until flat and also drop at your local drug store or grocery for recycling.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of flickr.com and alifedesign.blogspot.com