FORT SMITH, Ark. – Americans spend more than $8 billion on wrapping paper each year, according to Sundale Research. That’s a lot of money for something that you’re just going to chuck. The good news is most wrapping paper isn’t just a waste of landfill space, it’s recyclable!
Generally, any paper is recyclable if it’s not 100% glitter covered. Even if the gift wrap has some metallic print. Even if it’s been ripped up by excited kids, as long as the pieces are bigger than the palm of your hand. Even if it’s got little bits of tape stuck to it. It’s OK to leave “a reasonable amount” of tape on, but feel free to peel it off if it bugs you. Even tissue paper can go in your recycling.
“Especially this year, we just need a way to feel like we’re celebrating,” said Becca Fong, SPU’s residential solid waste outreach planner. “Just think of creative ways to make things festive and throw away as little as possible. We want people to recycle as much as we can, as well as we can.”
Here’s an eye-opening statistic from Stanford University: If every family in the U.S. wrapped three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. There’s no need to buy new things. Wrap pretty packages with materials you already have, like brown packing paper, newspaper comics, tied-up scarves.
Ribbons and bows add the finishing touch, but, unfortunately, most of the time they go in the garbage. Instead of plastic bows, buy some velvet or satin ribbon that look beautiful over and over again.
Reduce, reuse, recycle: we’re all about holiday cheer with a minimal environmental footprint.
Upcycle brown kraft paperYou could buy a roll of brown kraft paper, but why kill another tree when there’s already loads of it in the packages shipped to your house. Plus everyone has approximately a zillion paper grocery bags from when stores banned reusable bags.
Leave the paper plain, or let the kids customize it with stamps or paint. Kids will love helping decorate, you will love keeping them busy. And yes, paper that’s been colored with crayons, markers and paint and small amounts of stickers is still recyclable.
Skip the plastic bow and tie on a sprig of greenery instead (snipped for free from the yard, and compostable).