In the spirit of the holidays, I want to help keep you happy – by helping you reduce the amount of trash you throw away. But I am not alone here. Once again, I’m teaming up with Junk King to help you reduce holiday waste.
Junk King is the #1 rated junk removal service in North America. I like them because they are very “green”. When they take your junk away, they don’t just take it to the landfill. They sort your stuff into metals, e-waste, paper, appliances and more so it can be easily recycled. They donate, repurpose, and repurpose everything from clothing, toys, baby cribs and strollers to office furniture and supplies.
I love their latest infographic, and I’m sure you will too. If you’ve wondered why you should skip the wrapping paper, or plant a live tree instead of buying a fake artificial tree, here are your answers!
In other words…
- Useless: Did you know that if each family used just two feet of ribbon to decorate their gifts, we could save 38,000 miles of ribbon? That’s enough to tie a bow on the entire planet!
- wrap creatively: Wrapping paper and gift bags aren’t the only way to wrap gifts. Try using a different material that you already have in your home. Newspapers, sheet music and old maps are fun options and much more unique than commercial wrapping paper. You can also use scarves, t-shirts, or other fabric to wrap gifts. This way, wrapping can be a gift too!
- buy a potted tree: Every year, approximately 33 million live trees are sold in North America. Considering how much paper we waste, saving a tree is the least thing we can do. Instead of cutting down a tree this year, buy a potted tree. This way, after the holidays are over and it’s time to take down the decorations, you can plant a tree in your backyard.
- regift: About 35% of Americans have an unopened or unused gift collecting dust somewhere. Instead of taking up valuable space or throwing it away, find it a new home. If you don’t know anyone who wants a gift, take it to a donation center. During the holidays, there are many organizations that collect gifts for those less fortunate.
- give a permanent gift: There are several small steps you can take to make your gift a little more eco-friendly. For example, if you’re giving a battery-powered gift, consider giving it a reusable battery charger! If you’re giving someone something made of paper, like a magazine, try to find something that’s made from recycled paper. Buying handmade gifts from a local shop or online store, or even making gifts yourself, can help reduce waste, as these products are not mass produced.
- go digital: Approximately 2.6 billion cards are given to people every year. This is equivalent to approximately 50,000 cubic yards of paper – enough to fill a football field 10 stories high! And no matter how sentimental they may be, they usually end up hidden in a box or thrown away. Instead of paying for overpriced, useless cardstock, send an electronic greeting card for free!
- Donate your leftover food: Holiday meals are usually a big deal, and it’s always better to eat too much than too little, but most of the time the leftovers are too much to handle. Instead of wasting perfectly good food, consider bringing your leftovers to a local homeless shelter. There are many people who go hungry during the holidays, and your donation can make a huge difference to someone in need.
and remember! Don’t be the Grinch!!
Note: Sponsors like Junk King enable us to provide expertise and insight at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own.