The holiday season can be such an exciting time of year. From November to January, people all around the U.S. celebrate various holidays. Although the holiday season is joyous time, it is also a time where we partake in unsustainable practices and can increase our carbon footprint. The amount of waste production in the U.S. increases significantly during the holiday season, with the main contributors being wrapping paper and food waste. As climate change continues to impact our planet, the importance of living more sustainably increases every day.

Here are some tips to consider for celebrating sustainably this holiday season:

• Buying local for holiday meals and supporting local farms can help reduce your impact on the environment.
• Switching to sustainable gift wrap instead of wrapping paper or gift bags. Wrapping paper is non-recyclable and contributes to a lot of waste during the holiday season. Instead of using paper with unsustainable inks, try using newspaper, craft paper, or even a decorative scarf or other reusable materials.
• For those that celebrate Christmas and decorate with a living Christmas tree, try recycling your tree. Throwing away trees into the landfill is bad for the environment and can increase the production of greenhouse gases. Instead, look into local programs that offer sustainable ways to dispose of trees. You can go to the County’s recycling and hazardous waste database, WastefreeSD.org, to find Christmas tree drop-off sites near you.
• Purchasing eco-friendly gifts can also help reduce waste this holiday season. DIY gifts, buying from eco-friendly retailers and giving experiential gifts like tickets to a concert or a dinner reservation are a just a few great ways to give more sustainably and decrease your waste production.
• Avoid using unsustainable decorations like plastic decorations and incandescent lights. Try creating your own decorations from compostable or recyclable items to use in your home. You could make garland made of cranberries, string of origami stars, gingerbread people/houses, and more! Switching from incandescent to LED lights is more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Throughout the holiday season, you can continue to find sustainable tips for recycling and reducing waste from the County’s Department of Public Works recycling team.

We wish you a safe, happy, and sustainable holiday season!