Don't waste the holidays! In order to help you tidy up in a greener way after your celebrations, here are some tips for around the house:
- Recycle paper gift wrap curbside or at the nearest recycling center. Do not recycle foil or plastic-coated types. How can you tell if it’s plastic coated? If you can’t easily rip the paper by hand, then it probably has a plastic coating.
- Recycle paper holiday cards curbside or at the nearest recycling center. Do not recycle cards that contain plastic or electronic components or that are coated in glitter.
- Compost food waste, poinsettias and unusable tissue paper.
- Recycle old or broken holiday lights throughout the Kansas City metro area. Visit RecycleSpot for the nearest location.
- Save packaging - boxes, bubble wrap, air pillows, tissue paper, bows and ribbons - for next year. Recycle what you can’t/don’t want to save. Boxes can be recycled curbside or at your local recycling center. Bubble wrap, air pillows, plastic mailing envelopes, and plastic retail bags can be recycled at your local grocery store, Walmart, Target or Lowe’s. Always call first. Plastic ribbons and bows that you can’t / don’t want to reuse should be disposed in the trash.
- Donate gently used items to charities or thrift stores. Search RecycleSpot for the nearest location.
- Reuse your popcorn, cookie and candy tins, or recycle them curbside or at your local recycling center.
- “Treecycle” your natural holiday tree, wreaths and garland; and donate artificial trees that are still in good condition. Broken artificial trees will have to go to the landfill.
For more on "treecycling," your natural tree, see our post on area resources to help you say goodbye once the holidays have come and gone (and we look to a fresh start in 2025)!