Along with the holidays come many piles of waste as we use tons gift wrapping, ribbon, buy toys, make food and decorate for all of the festivities. Fortunately there are some alternatives for the waste that we produce during the busy holiday season. Here are are three solutions to try and implement into this year’s celebrations in order to reduce the amount of garbage that is created.
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Reusable Fabric Wrapping
What happens when everyone has opened their presents after ripping apart the wrapping paper? There are piles and piles of wrapping paper and plastic ribbon. This is a lot of waste that will only see the landfill after its use as your presents’ wrapping paper.
Fortunately there are solutions to this problem, not only has compostable wrapping paper been created, there is also a type of reusable wrapping that exists! You can use this type of wrapping over and over again, it will not even rip after taking a piece of tape off of it because it is made of fabric material!
This technique of wrapping gifts with fabric and fabric scarves is also known as Furoshiki, originating from Japan. They originally also would also use this technique in their day to day lives to carry goods along with the occasional gift.
Not only does this create less waste, this technique looks beautiful and if you use a scarf as the fabric wrapping, that scarf can be reused by the the person you gave the gift to! A gift wrapped with a gift!
2. WonderSip Straw
Of course we had to include our own WonderSip Straw in our list that reduces waste!
Plastic straws and other plastic waste; from plastic plates, ribbon, gift wrap, cellophane plastic wrapping, among so much of the plastic waste that is produced during the course of your holiday festivities will end up in land fill.
It is possible to reduce this waste pile starting with the type of utensils and straws you will use.
Much of the worry when using reusable straws for party is the amount of detailed washing will have to be done afterward, as most reusable straws are cleaned with the skinny wire brush and take time to clean. That is not the case with the WonderSip Straw! Everyone at your holiday party can be using one with one of our multiple straw packs and the clean up afterwards will be a breeze! Just open up every straw with the ONE-CLICK Open Button and wash the WonderSip straw like you clean a spoon or fork! It is just so easy!
3. Compostable utensils and plates
If you are throwing a large holiday party and really do not want to worry about washing any reusable plates and utensils, do not worry! There is a solution to this especially because you will be planning to buy a party pack with multiple disposable plates. Like the problem with straws there is an awesome solution to one time use use plates.
(Matter 100% Compostable Fiber Plates 10'' can be found at Target!)
This solution is known as compostable plates! These plates are sold in the 20, 50, and 100 count packs and are perfect for your holiday parties! Why are they special you ask? These types of compostable paper products for one time use will break down after use and will therefore not leave any waste behind after its momentary use is over. Compostable plates (like any other product that is described as compostable) will break down at composting facilities you can take it to and or even your own compost pile in your backyard.
Here is an awesome video on just how you can make your own compost garbage can and break down your own waste.
These are amazing steps we can take to not only reduce waste this holiday season, but to build habits that will help our environment and reduce the waste we produce as a whole!
