The Perfect Time to Recycle
15
Dec
The holidays are here and are marked by a time of celebrating, decorating, giving and enjoying time with family and friends. It’s also a time to remember and practice the three R’s…Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tells us that “From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25 percent. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons—it all adds up. And it’s not just trash. The average American spends $800 on gifts over the holiday season.”
So what a great time of year to demonstrate our skills for recycling! Here are a few favorites from your friends at Keep Florida Beautiful:
- Send e-cards instead of traditional paper holiday cards.
- Use creative materials for wrapping presents such as scarves, bandannas, kitchen towels, etc.
- Invest in rechargeable batteries to go with electronic toys and gadgets.
- Use dried flowers or natural evergreens instead of ribbons and bows.
- Re-Gift a gift from last year that wasn’t your favorite. Just don’t get caught!
Recycle that tree or wreath on display in your house so it will be turned into useful mulch.
Many more good ideas and tips are offered by EPA at the Greening the Season website which can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/recycle
Hats off as well to Keep Pensacola Beautiful (KPB) where a solution is offered to a problem that has plagued me for years! And I know I’m not alone. What on earth do you do with that string of lights that are broken or simply past their useful life? And no, the answer is not to store them in a spare closet! Christmas lights are considered e-waste and should be recycled responsibly say the good folks at KPB. All it took was a little investigative work and Maggie Berger, KPB’s Education & Outreach Coordinator, found a local recycler that accepts wires and cords in general to include lights and it didn’t take long to connect those dots! So take a look around your area and see what recycling possibilities you can turn up. Or…if you happen to be in the neighborhood, drop by and see Maggie, Gwinn Corley and Jill Cleaver and congratulate them on their good work!
Happy Holidays to all and here’s hoping you enjoy the last little bit of 2015. See you in the New Year which promises to be bigger and better than ever!