Waste Management: What To Do With Your Christmas Trash?

(Photo : Pixabay)

In less than two days, your house will probably full of trash that are most consisting of scrapped gift wrappers, boxes, and even leftover foods.

According to the report of Environmental Protection Agency, the United States generates about 25 percent more waste during the holiday seasons. That is about an extra one million tons of waste in just a week!

The demand for proper waste disposal is not just an internet trend. It is a necessity. Even without citing any published scientific articles, you probably have seen how filthy the oceans are or how many animals die after mistaking this waste as something edible.

Here are some tips you can do on managing the trash you generated on Christmas.

1. Card boxes

Giving your boxes to paper mills will do a lot of wonders. In fact, it is reported that recycling a ton of boxes save up to 17 trees from being cut down! It also saves about 24 percent of energy needed to produce boxes from virgin materials.

So do not just carelessly throw out the leaning Amazon boxes in your living room. Instead, break it down to make it compact so that the garbage collectors will have an easier job and more spaces on their trucks, which also means less trips and carbon emissions. 

2. Wrapping paper and gift cards

Unfortunately, some wrapping paper and gift cards are not accepted for recycling because it contains plastic particles that cost more to remove than producing more papers. In fact, earlier this year, many Chinese companies refused to accept impured papers from the US for that reason.

Instead of giving these to recyclers, try to be creative instead. Make a collage from the stripped wrappers and convert it to a wall decor, clip boards, scrapbook, or even to a new cover for a tattered book that has a sentimental value.

Gift cards, on the other hand, can be kept and turned to a memorabilia, especially if it came from someone that is so special to you like your children.

3. Ribbons and garlands

Like wrappers and cards, these items are also unrecyclable. Aside from the impurities, it also can also get caught up on the spinning disk and halt the recycling operation temporarily. 

Aside from reusing them on the next time you will buy a gift (that will save you money, too), a little bit of creativity will also do the trick. For instance, a fabric ribbon can be used as a head lace. You can also use it on scrap book to turn them completely to a wall decor.

4. Leftover foods

Leftover foods are undoubtedly the last items that you throw on the recyclers. Like ribbons and garlands, it can also cause hassle on the workers.

Inedible food scraps should go to compost, rather than the trash bin. If you do not have one nor have an intention of making one, collect it on an airtight, reusable storage bags and freeze it in the freezer. Then, send it to a local composting site. 

Learn how to keep your leftovers properly. Once stored in a clean, airtight container within two hours, most foods can last up to three days inside the refrigerator and two weeks inside the freezer. 

If you do not like consuming old foods, there are many recipes online that will guide you on what to do with them to give them another form. For example, baked turkey, chicken and even ham can be shredded and turn to a spread. You can also put them in salad or pies.

However, be mindful for any signs of spoilage like molds and foul smell. Throw those away immediately.

RELATED ARTICLES:

How to store leftover foods?

5 Ways to Make Your Christmas Greener