Did you know...?

• Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday season than any other time of year. This extra garbage amounts to 25 million tons of trash.*
• If every family in the U.S. reused just 2 feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.
• The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year in the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one card less, we'd save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.

* Bob Lilienfeld/The Use Less Stuff Report via >>

How to Have a Greener Holiday Season

• Use reusable shopping bags. This will reduce the number of plastic bags that get trashed.
• Send your holiday greetings in electronic form. E-cards can be enhanced with sound and animation and they create no physical waste.
• If you use traditional gift wrapping, avoid wrapping gifts in materials that are not recyclable or reusable, such as foil or metallic papers. Always buy recycled-content wrapping paper. If your store doesn't sell recycled-content wrapping paper, ask the manager to order it in the future.
• If you send holiday cards, buy recycled-content cards and envelopes. Or make your own cards or gift tags out of last year's cards and the wrapping paper you saved.
• Remove your name from the mailing list of any catalog you no longer wish to receive. Eliminate unwanted credit offers by calling 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688) or visiting www.optoutprescreen.com.
• Shipping a gift? Reuse the foam peanuts from another package, or use unbuttered popcorn for packing. Return unwanted Styrofoam packing PEANUTS to local UPS Stores. Please call before delivering.
• Rechargeable batteries and a battery charger are a great way to cut down on the consumption of batteries.
• Recycle your tree and wreath.

And of course, reuse your take-out and deli plastic containers by storing leftovers in them. If you're hosting a holiday party, plastic take-out containers can be used for guests to take leftovers home as well!