Posted on Nov 14, 2023 | Blog,News
Less is More: Reduce Waste This Holiday Season
The holiday season has arrived! From Thanksgiving through the New Year, we love to gather with friends and family to celebrate and express our gratitude for all the good in our lives. This year, as you make your holiday plans, Keep Louisiana Beautiful encourages you to think “less is more.” With big meals, parties, decorations, and gifts, the excess can negatively impact our environment. Here are a few ways you can be a friend to the planet and reduce your holiday waste:
- When you can, use washable and reusable napkins, dishes, cups, and silverware. Single-use products often end up in the trash and then in a landfill. Recycling is not always an option due to food contaminants and/or lack of availability, but recycle when you can. Compostable plates and utensils are another route to consider.
- Utilize your leftovers instead of throwing them away. Ways to reduce your food waste include:
- Plan and cook for the right number of guests.
- Freeze your food for future use.
- Give leftovers to friends and family.
- Use leftovers in other recipes.
- Compost food scraps.
- Skip the plastic décor and inflatable lawn displays and try DIY decorations using existing items from around your house (vases, lights, candles, snowflakes cut from newspaper, etc.), and/or use natural items from your yard like pinecones or flowers. Making décor is fun for all ages!
- When shopping for groceries and gifts, use a reusable grocery bag. Less plastic bags = less plastic bag litter. Plastic bags are lightweight and blow into ditches and waterways. This can cause harm to fish and wildlife and contribute to clogged storm drains.
- Be a conscientious gift buyer. Here are a few examples of environmentally friendly gift-giving:
- Give experiences, not things. Take your friend or loved one to a concert or purchase an annual pass to Louisiana’s State Parks.
- Shop locally to eliminate the need for packaging. If you do shop online, combine your deliveries to lessen your impact.
- When it comes to wrapping your gifts, remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle! You can reduce your impact by wrapping items in newspaper, posters, comics, scarves, or decorative towels. Reuse boxes, bows, ribbons, and gift bags.
- Properly dispose of your Christmas tree. Check with your trash/recycling service to see if there is a designated day to put your tree on the curb. Discarded Christmas trees are picked up curbside or can be dropped off at some locations to be used for coastal restoration. In Louisiana, thousands of trees are used every year to protect our coast. Only natural, un-decorated trees with no stands or trimmings are collected for recycling.
Happy Holidays from Keep Louisiana Beautiful!
