Ideas help consumers reduce holiday waste

Waste Management offers ideas for reducing waste at the holidays.

•Composting can reduce the amount of organic waste produced in the home. Holiday meal preparation can generate a large amount of potato peels, fruit rinds, coffee grinds, other vegetable waste and eggshells that can be composted. Compost piles are easy to create, and composting bins can make a great gift.

•Recycle fresh trees, garlands or wreaths when the holidays are over. Waste Management customers can recycle their Christmas trees by cutting them in half and placing them in the greenwaste container or placing the trees at curbside on the regularly scheduled service day from Dec. 26 through Jan. 9.

•If space is limited for storing holiday decorations, maybe it's time to clean out the attic. Before throwing things away, consider whether an item is acceptable for donation to an organization such as Goodwill, or visit www.freecycle.org to post gently used items on the web for free reuse.

•Visit the website at www.thinkgreenfromhome.com to purchase recycling kits and gift cards. Many products are made from recycled or organic content that make great gifts.

•Purchase vintage clothing or accessories from consignment or secondhand stores.

•Give potted plants, flowers or trees that the recipient can plant in the garden or yard.

•Reduce the number of bags thrown out by bringing reusable cloth bags for holiday gift shopping.

•When packaging gifts, consider reduced or nowaste wrapping options. Put a reusable bow on the gift; place the gift in a reusable bag such as a backpack or purse, or package small, themed gifts in a larger item. Use last year's wrapping as packaging material.

•Make wrapping paper by using old maps, posters or pages from the newspaper or magazines. Recycledcontent wrapping paper is also available. Save bags and bows to use again, and recycle the newspapers or brown paper shopping bags after the gift is opened.

•When attending a party or dinner and bringing a dish for the meal or an edible gift for the host, be sure to package it in a reusable container.

•Use e-mail for holiday greetings. If sending cards, make them with last year's cards or wrapping paper.

•When entertaining, use washable utensils, plates, glasses, napkins and table coverings. Decorate with candles or potted plants that your guests may take home and plant. Have containers available where guests can put recyclable cans and bottles. Send leftover food home with guests in reusable containers or donate it to a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

•Consider giving no-waste gifts, such as music or sports lessons, memberships to a gym, the philharmonic or a museum, favors like babysitting or tickets to a sporting event or concert. Make a donation to a charity in honor of the gift recipient.