This Holiday season, Reverse Litter wants to encourage you to use Holiday decorations you already have at home or make your own. We also invite you to explore additional gift options that are made with recyclable materials or are eco-friendly for those special family members and friends on your list. Below are three DIY tips for a Litter-Free Holiday. Let us know if you decide to make any of the below by sharing your images with us on social media. We’d love to see what you come up with!
1. Make your own ornaments
There are many recyclable items you can use to make your own ornaments. You can make a small Christmas tree from a plastic two-liter bottle or use lids to make a snowman for your tree.
Architecture Art Designs has many options for you to choose from. It’s worth making your own tree decorations, as bought decorations are often chemically treated or made from non-biodegradable substances. HGTV has also rounded up some crafts you can do at home that won’t break the bank and will make heads turn at your Holiday parties.
2. O’ Christmas Tree
The tree is the centerpiece of all Holiday festivities. We recommend you buy an artificial tree and reuse it every year – most artificial trees can last up to 10 years and will save you money in the long run! However, if you must have the real tree smell in your home, consider planting it after the Holidays – just remember to get a tree with roots. If your space doesn’t allow for tree planting, most major metropolitan areas feature free tree recycling (known as “treecycling”) programs that reuse them in landscaping and gardening products. In fact, almost 93 percent of real Christmas trees are recycled annually. Real Christmas trees are biodegradable, which means they can be easily reused or recycled for mulch. Before placing on the curb, or dropping it off at a station, be sure to remove the tree stand and all decorations, nails, plastic bags and other wrappings from the tree. We also advise using LED lights to illuminate your tree and other decorations since LED lighting is more energy efficient.
3. Wrapping
As you start purchasing gifts for your loved ones, consider purchasing eco-friendly gifts and using recycled paper, old magazines, or reuse gift wrap from last year to wrap them. A lot of Americans have also started to opt for leaving them in the store-bought bags. Good Housekeeping also recommends using a pretty tin, decorative tea towel or scarf as eco-friendly ‘wrapping’ that can be part of the gift and used again afterwards.
Whichever tip you choose to tackle this Holiday soon, please share it with us on social media and let us know your success. Thanks for helping us Reverse Litter this Holiday season!
Litter Quitter Spotlight
We love seeing your pictures. Keep sharing them with us on social media by using the hashtags #ReverseLitter or #TenonTues. Thanks for sharing, “oakclifflove.” She took the initiative with her all the way to New York City, NY.