According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of household waste increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, this amounts to 5 million
tons. There are various ways to decrease the amount of waste we produce during this time by reducing, reusing and recycling what we can. Below are some of College Station’s Green Holiday Tips:

1. Buy a tree grown locally to save energy associated with transportation.

2. Consider buying gifts with the Energy Star logo. They use less energy.

3. Buy smart - look for gifts and cards that are recyclable or have recycled content, be sure to look at the recycled content amount.

4. Decorate with more energy efficient LED lights and only use them when someone is home. This will reduce energy, allow the lights to last longer, and reduce fire hazards.

5. Reuse old holiday cards as gift tags.

6. When sending holiday cards try E-Cards or send a reusable card by writing your message on an insert instead of on the card.
a. www.ecards.com
b. www.americangreetings.com
c. www.hallmark.com

7. Bring your own bags on shopping trips so shops won’t have to give you new ones with your purchases. Make sure to tell the clerk that you have your own bags.

8. Store leftover food in durable reusable containers.

9. Compost leftover veggie and fruit waste.

10. Instead of driving out of town to go shopping at stores not in your area, buy your gifts by phone or on the web. Ask for less packaging material if applicable.

11. Review the list of recyclables that College Station accepts at the curb and be sure to recycle all the newspaper and magazines, all #1 and #2 plastic, all clear and brown glass bottles and jars, and aluminum you can.

12. Review the Bryan / College Station Recycling Directory for the hard to recycle items such as cardboard, packaging peanuts, batteries, laptops etc. (www.cstx.gov/recycle)

13. Buy rechargeable batteries to give with gifts that require batteries.

14. Recycle your tree through your curbside recycling program or at Central Park Saturday January 10, 2009 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM. This event is free to all residents! You will also receive a free seedling and environmental information packet.

15. When gift giving, purchase gift certificates, donate to a charity, or give a “family gift” in lieu of individual gifts.

16. Buy environmental gifts: compost bins, plants, gardening tools and books, a membership to a local environmental organization, battery chargers, homemade crafts, or transit passes.

17. When wrapping or packaging your gifts try these original ideas:
a. Newspaper
b. Posters
c. Scarves
d. Cloth Napkins
e. Clothes
f. If you buy wrapping paper look for the recycled content paper, keep in mind the higher the post-consumer recycled content, the better.

18. After the holidays further reduce the amount of waste generated by:
a. Planting or donating live trees
b. Donating unwanted gifts and food to thrift stores and food banks

For more details about “Holiday Recycling and Waste Reduction Tips” please contact Heather Woolwine, Recycling Coordinator at 764-6229 or by email at hwoolwine@cstx.gov.

Not signed up for Curbside Recycling? Need more Recycling Bags? You may now request Start Up Kits and Bag Refills on-line! Please visit www.cstx.gov/recycle.