Recycle Everything This Christmas

In the UK alone, about 1 billion Christmas cards are thrown away every season. Imagine how many are trashed in the US and rest of the world! And when you consider trees, and all the other materials associated with December holidays, that makes for a lot of waste. And as my grandmother always said, "I can't stand waste!" Here are a few ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, and restore during the holidays:

*Cards - Your community may allow you to recycle them with other paper waste. Check to be sure. You may also want to use old cards them for crafts. I particularly like the idea of using them as holiday postcards or gift tags. St. Jude Ranch for Children doesn't need anymore used cards, but you can buy recycled cards from them for next year.

*Trees - Your community may offer curbside or neighborhood recycling. Often the trees will be used for wildlife habitats. If not that service is not available, you may want to chip your tree and use it for mulch or compost. Visit www.earth911.org to find tree and other recycling centers near you. Just enter your zip code to get started. And next year, consider decorating a plantable tree, artificial tree, or house plants. One of my favorite Christmas memories is from when my mother and I decorated our living room ficus tree and corn plant. Use what you've got!

*Gifts - No one wants to talk about regifting , but many of us do it. If you have items you would like to "regift," make sure you only give a new gift in new wrapping. Don't tell the recipient it's regifted and most importantly, make sure the person to whom you give the item doesn't know the person who gave the item to you.

*Food - Leftover food from holiday or other functions can often be given to a food rescue agency. They'll use it to feed the hungry in your community. Remember to donate extra food (or time or money) to your local food bank. Visit www.secondharvest.org to find a food rescue agency, a food bank, or hunger relief services near you.

These ideas don't just apply to Christmas, You can reduce, reuse, recycle and restore the glass, plastic, paper, aluminum, and other items that you use during other holidays and all year long.

"Children learn more from what you are than what you teach." - W. E. B. DuBois