Festive Season Recycling Do’s and Don’ts: A Guide for Eco-Friendly Young Families

As we gear up for the festive season, the spirit of giving and celebrating often goes hand in hand with an increase in waste.

For eco-conscious young families, it’s crucial to navigate the holiday season with sustainability in mind. That’s why we’re exploring a few easy do’s and don’ts for recycling popular festive items – empowering you to easily make environmentally responsible choices with the health of our planet in mind.

 

Recycling Do’s:

Christmas Cards:

• Do: Look for cards made from recycled materials, and once the festivities are over, recycle them with your paper waste.
• Do: Get creative and repurpose old cards into gift tags or festive crafts with your children. We have some great ideas on how you can reuse these cards here.

Wrapping Paper:

• Do: Choose recyclable wrapping paper or get creative with eco-friendly alternatives like fabric, newspapers, or old maps.
• Do: Remove any tape or decorations from wrapping paper before recycling.

Glass Bottles and Jars:

• Do: Recycle glass bottles and jars from festive beverages and food items.
• Do: If possible, repurpose glass jars for storage or crafts.

Holiday Lights:

• Do: Recycle old or non-functioning holiday lights at designated e-waste recycling facilities.
• Do: Consider energy-efficient LED lights that last longer and consume less power.

Christmas Trees:

• Do: Consider purchasing a real Christmas tree and recycling it through local tree recycling programs or turning it into mulch for gardens.
• Do: Look for alternative ways to create a ‘Christmas tree’ such as using a fallen branch, natural ornaments or sticks compiled into a tree shape with rope.

Recycling Don’ts:

Contaminated Items:

• Don’t: Place items with food residue or glitter in recycling bins, as these can contaminate the recycling stream.
• Don’t: Toss items with mixed materials that are challenging to separate.

Ribbons and Bows:

• Don’t: Include ribbons, bows, or metallic gift wrap in your recycling bin, as these materials can’t be recycled.
• Don’t: Dispose of ribbons and bows in a way that they could end up in water bodies, causing harm to wildlife.

Disposable Tableware:

• Don’t: Assume all disposable plates, cups, and cutlery are recyclable. Check packaging for recycling symbols.
• Don’t: Mix disposable tableware with regular recyclables if they are not recyclable in your area.

Battery-Operated Decorations:

• Don’t: Toss used batteries from holiday decorations in the regular trash. Recycle them at designated battery drop-off points.
• Don’t: Allow children to dispose of batteries without supervision due to potential environmental hazards.

Non-Recyclable Ornaments:

• Don’t: Assume all holiday ornaments are recyclable. Some may contain mixed materials or hazardous substances.
• Don’t: Immediately buy new ornaments to enjoy the festive season. Look at the environment around you and see whether you can create new ornaments using natural items such a pods, branches and leaves.

This festive season, make your celebrations not only joyful but also environmentally conscious.

By following these recycling do’s and don’ts, we can all reduce our ecological footprint, set a positive example for the next generation and create traditions that prioritise the well-being of our planet.

Together, we can make the festive season both festive and eco-friendly for our families and the world around us.

 

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