We produce an extra million tons of trash a week at holiday time
Tips for a Cleaner, "Greener" Holiday
(info below quoted from INFORMs website INFORM is
a nonprofit environmental organization specializing in waste reduction
Gifts -
in addition to ideas below consider a HVME gift certificate
Cell phones - go to recyclewirelessphones.com, collectivegood.com,
or .charitablerecycling.com
for ways to dispose of used phones
Donate unwanted gifts & Give durable that replace disposables or highly polluting items, such as:
* Cloth or linen napkins, and napkin rings.
* Men's or women's handkerchiefs.
* Refillable pens and pencils.
* Nondisposable razors.
* A mug for the office; insulated mug or thermos
* Long-life light bulbs.
* A vintage lunch box with reusable bags or containers.
* Erasable message boards.
* Loose tea and tea ball (with an interesting antique tea ball).
* A solar watch or calculator.
* Canvas or other reusable shopping bags.
* Biodegradable soaps and shampoos.
* A reusable seltzer canister with rechargeable cartridge.
* A set of rechargeable batteries and charger.
* A perpetual calendar that never needs to be replaced.
* A water-saving low-flow showerhead.
* A backyard composter.
* A ceramic, glass, or plastic pitcher
* Manual or solar-powered appliances, rather than battery-operated or plug-in
ones.
* A refurbished computer instead of a brand new one. (Or leased computer-the
dealer will take back the old one upon renewal!)
* A bicycle or rollerblades (to encourage alternatives to motor vehicle use).
* Houseplants or a garden (give seeds, gloves, or gardening tools).
Or give a gift that isn't an object, such as:
* Membership in an environmental, philanthropic, or relief organization.
* An experience: vacation, lessons, spa, gift certificates for restaurants,
guided tours, concerts, theatre, museums, movies, etc.
* The gift of time, gift certificate for companionship, household chores, babysitting,
running errands, an outing, a hug!.
* donation or tree in someone's name.
* a reused item, an antique shop or thrift store item.
* A savings account or bond for a child.
Gift WRAPPING - HVME has gift boxes, festive paper & cloth swatches for this.
FACT: on average we wrap 20 gifts during the holidays. If 3 are wrapped in used paper, we save 45,000 football fields worth!
* practice no tape wrapping (it can
be done, we gave gifts before tape was invented)
* Wrap gifts using the gift itself (a scarf as ribbon).
* Use decorative newspaper ads, colorful pages from magazines, old maps, calendars,
or color comic strips as wrap.
* Wrap music gifts in old sheet music and use the tape from an unwanted audiocassette
as ribbon.
* Wrap gifts in fabric, reusable cloth bags, pillow cases, or baskets. HVME
napkin paper makes a great liner
* Reuse old ribbons and wrapping paper.
* old necktie or scarf as a bow or ribbon.
* Use the fronts of old holiday cards as name tags for this year's gifts
* Biodegradable-starch packing peanuts.
* Crumpled newspaper or pages from magazines.
* Use packing peanuts from previous gifts. Bring extra to mailing stores
Shopping
* bring shopping bags & consolidate purchases.
* save paper- cancel catalogues you don't use.
* Shop early & consolidate trips to save fuel.
* Walk & use public transportation when practical.
Holiday Cards - HVME COLLECTS USED HOLIDAY CARDS & has thousands of new cards in stock
FACT: One year's worth of holiday cards would fill a football field 10 stories high!
* Send e-mail or Internet greetings
to friends and family, or send a holiday postcard to save paper & envelopes.
* Create your own cards made out of used paper.
* When buying cards, choose ones made with recycled
paper.
* old holiday cards. Send them to St. Jude's Ranch
for Children, a home for abused children in Nevada, children make new cards
from old ones and sell them to support the
ranch. mail to St. Jude's Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude St, Boulder City,
NV 89005
Trees - HVME napkin
paper rolls make great garland when braided
* Consider buying a potted Norfolk pine, fig tree, or indoor
house plant that can be reused every holiday season.
* Purchase a tree from a tree farm rather than cutting one down in the wild.
* tree leftovers: boughs protect plant beds, convert leftovers to mulch or compost,
trimmed branches for home décor & wreaths.
Tree Ornaments -- HVME has lotS of stuff to both make ornaments & buy ready made (ie. glass suncatchers)
* Popcorn and cranberry strands (use as birdfeed
afterwards).
* Memorabilia such as a child's first shoe
* Old jewelry* Small stuffed animals and toys..
* Edible cookie ornaments.
* Buttons knotted on a sturdy length of string.
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