Tis’ the season to be jolly. But also, it’s the season of jam-packed waste containers. We’ve all been there. The party’s nearly over. It’s been a merry evening with laughter, food, and a hilarious white elephant exchange. As friends begin filtering out, one of the more helpful ones comes up to you with their plastic cups.
“Where should I put this? The garbage is full.”
Full, as it turns out, is a gross understatement. Cups, wrappers, plates, and wrapping paper are strewn in a wide circumference around the singular trash can. Just as you were beginning to think of relaxing into bed you realize there’s a massive mess to clean up. And what’s worse, you feel embarrassed that so many of those nearest and dearest to you had to deal with such an inadequate garbage container.
Partying with friends over the holiday season doesn’t have to strain yourself or the environment. Knowing how and what to recycle can make even the biggest get-togethers run cleanly and show your friends how to properly dispose of waste. Even small actions can lead to changes in holiday culture. Here are some ideas for how to make the holidays more joyful and less wasteful.
Get Sorting
Set up clearly labeled bins for recyclables, compost, and general waste at your party.
Because you know what guests will be eating and using during the night, you can be even more specific about bin labels. For example, “Place Party Cups Here” or “Wrapping Paper Goes Here.”
Don’t miss out on the chance to make it festive by decorating the bins in holiday colors or dressing them up like snowmen. Encouraging your guests to sort as they go saves you or waste management companies time further down the line, as well as the headache of separating it later.
Wrapping Paper Wads
Recycling companies can only recycle some wrapping paper. The shiny, glittery kinds are often coated in plastic, which makes them difficult to process. All those wads of paper quickly overflow bins, leaving little room for other trash. It’s especially too bad since all that wrapping paper is useful for is ripping apart. There are a few smarter options.
Opt for recycled wrapping paper or reusable alternatives like cloth wrapping. It can be fun to use recyclable paper to wrap gifts as it’s perfect for drawing decorations, writing quotes, or meaningful notes. Another option for the more patient is to save the paper from the gifts you received and reuse it next year.
Food, Food, Food
The holidays mean lots of food and, unfortunately, lots of food waste. This is where food waste recycling equipment comes into play. Many cities offer food scrap recycling programs. If not you can easily compost scraps in your backyard. For bigger events, rent food waste recycling equipment, like a compost bin. These machines efficiently break down food waste, turning what could be stinking in landfills into rich, usable compost.
The Planet Doesn’t Want Plastic for Christmas
Plastic is a major contributor to holiday waste, from disposable cups to packaging. Even if you try to avoid buying plastic, it will keep showing up, especially during the holidays. Instead of tossing all of this plastic out without a thought of where it goes. Take a second to think about making sure the plastic gets recycled. Plastic recycling relies on industrial plastic shredders to break down large containers and pieces into uniform bits. These can then be reused, leading to a sustainable holiday season.
Decorations and Party Supplies
Buying new decorations every year is both expensive and more difficult than using the same set year after year. Decorations become less about transforming your venue into a television commercial and more about reminding you of fond memories in years gone by.
We all have to start somewhere. So if you’re buying new, opt for items made from recycled content or items that can be reused next year. These are the best decorations and are made from natural materials, like pinecones, dried fruit, and flowers. They add to the aroma of a space as well as its visual appeal.
Gift Giving with a Green Twist
For many, gift-giving is the heart of the holidays, but it doesn’t have to lead to a mountain of waste. Focus on sustainable gift options, like experiences or physical gifts or goodies with minimal packaging.
The Bigger Picture
It’s important to remember that recycling is only one part of the solution. Reducing waste in the first place is even more effective.
Every year, the recycling industry steps up to meet these challenges with innovations like more efficient sorting machines, community-based composting programs, and advanced plastic grinders that make recycling easier. By investing in or supporting these technologies, we add to the closed loop that keeps materials in use and out of landfills.
While it’s easy to nod along sympathetically while listening to someone gripe about how consumerism has taken over the holiday season, it’s harder to do something meaningful about it. One of consumerism’s most unfortunate side effects is a spike in waste and ineffective waste management. This year, you can try making a real difference by influencing the culture to be more aware of waste at parties or hatch a more ambitious plan to start your own local recycling center. After all, a cleaner world isn’t just more beautiful, it’s more relaxing.
