The holiday season is definitely the merriest time of the year. It’s the perfect time to host get-togethers and splurge on discounted items both from online and offline retail stores. However, it’s no secret how the holidays also generate a large volume of trash.
According to Stanford, Americans produce about 25 percent more waste material during the holidays compared to other days of the year. These waste materials generally come from ribbons, gift wrappers, Christmas cards, and food packaging.
To reduce the holiday waste that your chosen Evergreen Junk Removal Service provider collects, follow the tips below:
Bring a recyclable shopping bag
Single-use plastic bags are among the most common types of trash found in landfills. Hence, you should definitely consider reducing your plastic use. There are plenty of recyclable shopping bags made from canvas, nylon, plant-based fiber, or other durable materials.
Skip using gift wrapper
Imagine if every house in the USA starts minimizing the use of gift wrappers. Now wouldn’t that contribute a lot to reducing holiday trash? Instead of using traditional gift wraps and ribbons, you can use creative and sustainable wrappers such as old scarves or linen. Alternatively, you can use socks, reusable bags, baskets, old newspapers, or fabric scraps.
Say no to disposable cutlery, plates, and cups
Instead of using disposable plates, cups, and cutlery, consider using reusable dinnerware. While using dinnerware or other kinds of dishes may require extra minutes waiting in front of the dishwasher, at least it can help you significantly reduce the volume of your trash. There is plenty of themed dishware available in home improvement shops, and it won’t cost you a fortune.
Embrace the use of washable table napkins
While there are recycled table napkins on the market, it still pays to use washable napkins instead. There’s far too much trash in landfills and recycling centers, so you might as well ditch items if they have recyclable alternatives. After the event, you can throw your table napkins in the washing machine and reuse them again for other special occasions.
Don’t buy too much food!
Estimate the number of servings you’ll need for all your guests, so you don’t end up preparing too much food. If you have leftovers, you should keep track of them by creating a list. This will help you remember how much food you have in your fridge, so you don’t need to refill your fridge.
If you end up spoiling your holiday food, you can dump it in your compost pit or bins. This way, you can create a natural fertilizer for your garden. Give it a couple of months to fully break down before using it to enrich the soil.
Garbage management is quite a challenging feat, especially during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve celebrations. When people host parties, dinners, and other social gatherings, you can certainly expect to deal with large volumes of garbage.
Thankfully, there are fun, simple, and practical ways you can reduce the amount of holiday waste your home generates. Take note of the tips and suggestions provided above. You can also try coming up with your own little way of saving the planet.
Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/christmas-happy-woman-lights-2971961/
