The holiday period is a time where there is celebration and giving other people gifts, but after all of the gift-giving, all the gift wrap ends up in the garbage. This can increase large amounts of waste like gift wrapping and over-shopping, creating a problem for our environment. We can significantly reduce waste by using reusable gift bags, improving our recycling habits, and shopping more mindfully.
There are problems with gift wrapping because of the materials used. Non-recyclable festive wraps like shiny, metallic, or glittery wraps are not reusable which could usually be disregarded, ultimately contributing to landfills.This is shown in an article on environmentamerica.org, written by Rachel Jaeger, Director of Environment in Colorado. She emphasized that using reusable gift wrap is many ways of reducing waste.
There are also more ways to reduce waste in the environment.
“A great way people to use less wrapping paper is to use gift bags instead. Gift bags can also be saved and reused a lot of the time,” the Superintendent of Pollution Control in South Windsor, Tony Manfre said.
This shows there could be a better way in reducing your waste by using more gift bags.
There are lots of discounts during the holidays. The holiday season is the time when retail stores want you to buy items because they know that lots of people will buy presents. According to Ecocenter, holiday sales between November and December increased by six to eight percent compared to 2021. The surge in purchasing contributes to waste as more gifts with wrapping paper end up in dumps. However, there are lots of things that can be recycled in South Windsor.
“Plastic toys without motors or electronics can usually be recycled by placing in the blue recycling containers,” Manfre explained. “If the toys are electronic, they can be recycled at our electronic recycling events held at the Town Hall the every other month. We provide two weeks of Christmas tree collections in January.”
This makes people more aware of what they should recycle and some of the recycling events in South Windsor. It also helps individuals understand what to recycle so they can be better about the environment in the town.
Shipping companies also contribute to environmental pollution through their operations. More retailers find less cost effective ways to send items to landfills. Shipping back and returns to retailers can cause carbon emissions because of the pollution from the vehicles.
The holiday season doesn’t need to come to an end because of the environment. By using reusable bags for gifts, doing your local event recycling, and being intentional about your purchase options, we can lessen the waste we create in the holidays. By doing these things, we can have a sustainable holiday for us and even future generations to enjoy.
