Sustainability for the Holidays
Keeping it green during the holiday season!
We’re in the midst of the holiday season, which means food, gifts, and fun memories to be made! It also means a spike in waste production. Studies show that Americans produce 25% more trash during the holiday season than any other time of the year! With the chaos of the next few weeks underway, we at Reid Park Zoo want to help out with an ultimate guide to cutting down waste for this holiday season!
Gifts
Use sustainable gift wrapping or alternative gift wrapping! Many recycling facilities have strict requirements to recycle paper — which makes most wrapping paper unable to be recycled. Make sure the wrapping paper you are picking out specifically has the label as ‘recyclable’ to ensure all that beautiful paper doesn’t end up in a landfill. Utilizing craft paper and fun fabrics are great alternatives to traditional wrapping paper. Repurposing festive shopping bags can also be used to wrap gifts. And of course, any ribbons or bows can always be saved for re-using next year.
Purchase responsibly. As we exchange gifts throughout the holidays, it’s important to be intentional about what items we purchase. Stray away from gifts that are designed to get thrown out (like joke gifts) or items that have a one-time use. And for the items we do purchase, buying used or refurbished is the best way to reduce our carbon footprint. Other tips include supporting sustainable businesses, making homemade gifts, or even gifting an experience in lieu of a physical item. Check out our 2024 Holiday Giving Guide for even more ideas!
Cooking
An easy way to cut back on landfill waste is through composting. There are some excellent tutorials online to try the Do-It-Yourself approach. Or throughout our different baking adventures and potlucks, find someone who is already utilizing the City of Tucson’s composting program: FoodCycle At Home! You can commit to composting in the New Year by signing up for the next City of Tucson composting training Saturday, January 25, held at Reid Park Zoo.
Try to reduce the amount of single-use items in the kitchen when possible. Items like paper plates, plastic wrap, and tin foil can build up quickly in the trash and can often be avoided or replaced with reusable alternatives. You can also be prepared with a storage container to store leftovers and stray away from plastic baggies.
Decorating
As we set up and take down different decorations, preserve as much as you can to use again next year. Taking care of what we already have so that we don’t need to buy more is the best way to fight over-consumption during the holidays. And it saves us money in the long run.
If you have any worn lights that you will not be utilizing next year, bring them to the Zoo! We partner with Recyco, Inc. to recycle any lights placed in the bin by the front entrance, instead of having them go to the landfill.
Utilizing thrift stores or exchange groups is an option for shopping for new decor and finding a home for things you may not use anymore.
Don’t throw your Christmas tree in the trash! Recycle live trees with the City of Tucson with TreeCycle. The program begins on Thursday, December 26, 2024 and continues through Monday, January 20, 2025. Various drop off locations are listed on their website.