| Greenville News
Andy Williams may say, “It is the most wonderful time of the year”, but it is also the most wasteful time of the year.
The South Carolina population alone generated 960,000 tonnes of waste between November and January, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Across the country, according to a report by Stanford University, Americans throw away an average of 25% more garbage between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, and that extra waste amounts to 25 million tons.
Ultimately, recycling and reducing waste helps the environment in many ways, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency and other experts.
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DHEC suggests a simple way to contribute during the holiday season – use newspapers, maps and old plants to wrap gifts.
“Recycling conserves resources,” said DHEC’s media relations director Laura Renwick. “Reduces pollution, saves energy and reduces the need for landfill construction.”
Companies can also follow the example of reduction and reuse during holidays. A local company in Spartanburg, Its All Wrapped Up LLC, reuses packaging materials for all occasions.
“I use wrapping paper, but I also have different ornaments that I put on my gifts,” said owner Yolanda Keenan. “I use whatever is available. It’s recycling, which basically means that I just erase parts of the wrapping paper when I’m wrapping a specific gift. I never throw it away, because for me it’s the stock and there’s an opportunity to use it again for another gift. “
Keenan said that in the long run it is saving money and the environment while adding texture and beauty to the wrap in a creative way.
Discarded food and food scraps, shopping bags and Christmas trees also contribute to Christmas waste. Smart planning to avoid disposing of food in the first place, finding options beyond disposal, using reusable shopping bags and recycling Christmas trees at stations operated by local governments are strategies to be tried.
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Here are more:
DHEC tips for recycling and waste reduction for the holiday
- Keep your kitchen more waste-free by finding out what’s already in the kitchen before you go to the store
- Offer gifts that don’t waste, like gym memberships, certificates or classes
- Avoid wasting food by providing reusable containers for guests
- Using LED lights for trees and outdoor decorations. LED lights last 10 times longer and use 80% less energy
- Find out where local authorities will accept Christmas trees to grind or recycle
- In the delivery areas of Anderson County: Agnew Road, Civic Center, King David and White Street Convenience Centers.
- In the fall areas of Greenville County: Holmes Park, Timmons Park, Gower Park and West Greenville Community Center.
- Donate food to help one in eight Americans fighting hunger – almost 600,440 in South Carolina, according to Feeding America, a domestic hunger organization.
Tamia Boyd was born in Michigan and covers the latest news. Send an email to [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @tamiamb.