Happiest of holiday seasons! Tis’ the season for festivities, gift giving, cookie parties and celebrating the end of an interesting year as well as ringing in what we all hope to be an amazing 2024! It can also be a time where a lot of waste is produced from said parties, gift giving and the like. If you know me, you know that I am committed to doing what I can to protect and preserve our environment, and consume less single use disposable items. I thought I would pass on a few helpful tips as we head in to this season in full swing:
1. Gift Wrap – A lot of the sturdier gift wrap that is produced and purchased these days is not compostable as it has a plastic film on it. Neither can it often be re-used, unless one is extremely careful during the unwrapping process. I purchased decorated craft paper gift wrap this year from Michaels. It looks festive and can go in the compost bin when its discarded! I also used twine instead of ribbon as that decomposes much easier as well! For the gift bags, I found sturdy, brown paper gift bags. I’ll dress those up with colorful tissue paper. As long as there is no foil or glitter in the paper, that’s all compostable, too! Some other ideas are to use the comic section of the newspaper with twine, or to make your own decorated craft paper and decorate it with stamps, or your own handmade artwork.Â
2. All The Goodies – If you are hosting and preparing food, please remember to dump the peelings, scraps, bones, etc. in the compost bin. We use this bin daily at my home and have drastically reduced the amount of garbage that will go in to the landfill. It’s amazing how much of our food waste can take up our garbage space. Put it to good use and feed those worms!
3. Leftovers – Keep those glass jars and even the plastic containers that food is packaged in to re-use for leftover storage. I also invested in a good set of glass storage containers for the larger quantities. I’ve purchased those reusable silicone pouches (like a re-usable ziplock) and those seem to be difficult to seal, but a re-used glass jar definitely does the trick. You’ll make a huge dent in reducing single use plastics by going this route. I’ve used maybe 2 ziplocks in the last 2 years by doing this.Â
4. Hydrate – NO PLASTIC BOTTLES, please. I am still so amazed at how many single serving plastic bottles I see at business functions, parties and just in people’s refrigerators. Please invest in an insulated metal bottle and refill your water wherever you go. Most casual eateries and cafes will gladly refill your bottle so you’ll never go thirsty. For parties, fill a large water dispenser with fruit for festive color and give your guests glasses that can be washed in the dishwasher after the party. It may be more work, but we all have to do our part in keeping plastics out of the landfill.Â
5. Plates, and more – IF YOU MUST use disposable plates and cutlery, consider purchasing biodegradable cutlery (it’s easy to find in most stores and online). I recently purchased bowls and plates made of palm leaves that are completely compostable, so I felt a little less guilt about not having enough real plates and bowls for everyone.Â
6. New Year, New You – As you consider your New Years’ Resolutions, please consider making a commitment to changing at least one behavior in the coming year that will help reduce waste going in to the landfill. It’s easier than you think!
We have several of environmentally friendly resources here in Ken-Tal, including our very own Earthwell Refill store (next to Burger Lounge in Kensington) and the moving box exchange I facilitate (donate or pick up flattened moving boxes for free!). Remember, its the smallest changes that make the biggest impact! If you have more tips and tricks to share when it comes to promoting environmentally friendly practices, please email me at [email protected]. Together, we can all make a difference!