By Ilene Moyher
Orange Recycling Committee
Ilene Moyher
As the holidays approach, you may be shopping for gifts, stocking up on food and preparing for gatherings with family and friends. Along with the celebrations comes a familiar byproduct: trash. Cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, gift bags, shipping materials and disposable dishes and utensils can quickly pile up.
I encourage you to consider packaging before you buy, and look for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Start with less. A great way to manage waste is to prevent it in the first place. Consider how much packaging comes with a product, and when possible, choose items with minimal packaging and those sold in bulk or refillable containers. When ordering online, consider combining purchases into one shipment.
Hosting a celebration doesn’t have to mean filling the trash with single-use items. Use everyday dishes, glasses and silverware instead of disposable versions. Borrow extra supplies from friends or buy them for little cost at thrift or consignment shops. Keep reusable containers handy for sending leftovers home with guests, rather than using plastic baggies.
Give packaging a second life. Before tossing gift bags, boxes, tissue paper, ribbons or packing materials, consider whether you can use them again. Save sturdy gift bags and boxes for next year, reuse shipping boxes for mailing gifts and keep clean packing paper for wrapping fragile items. I suggest designating a shelf or storage bin for gift bags and boxes, making it easy to check your stash before buying more.
Recycle correctly when reuse isn’t possible. In Orange, clean cardboard boxes and non-coated paper belong in your curbside recycling bin. Gift wrap or bags with shiny coating or glitter go in the trash if they’re not reusable.
Plastic bags, bubble wrap and other flexible plastic film must not go in your curbside bin. These soft plastics must be recycled separately by putting them in the designated shed at the Orange Transfer Station & Recycling Center or in bins at local stores.
Companies have a role in reducing waste, too. Policies requiring manufacturers and distributors to help pay for managing the packaging waste they generate create an incentive for companies to use less packaging and shift to materials that are easier to recycle. As such practices become more widespread, or face hurdles to implementation, you can encourage change by choosing products with less packaging and letting businesses know you value sustainable options.
My goal is to help you make thoughtful choices that reduce the amount of waste generated. Adopting a mindset of putting the environment ahead of convenience will also help your wallet. This holiday season, buy only what you need, choose products with less packaging, bring reusables to gatherings and give bags and boxes another life. You can also rethink gift-giving. Instead of “stuff,” consider giving experiences – a concert, cooking class or special outing together. These gifts create memories without adding to the pile of packaging and possessions.
Less waste is a gift you can give to future generations by conserving resources and helping create a cleaner, more sustainable community.
Remember, not every item that’s labeled “recyclable” is accepted. To know what goes in your recycling bin or is recyclable at the transfer station or other local places, visit OrangeRecycles.com or RecycleCT.com. Follow us on facebook.com/ORCinCT for tips and updates.
Ilene Moyher is a member of the Orange Recycling Committee.