By Susan Wineland
Orange Recycling Committee
Getting ready for the upcoming holidays can be a busy time. But hopefully it’s not too busy to think about how we can reduce, reuse and recycle, which actually makes life easier, less costly and better for everyone.
Let’s remember why avoiding plastics is so important: because they break down into microplastics that can be found in air, water, soil and bodies, resulting in harmful pollutants. These can choke, injure, poison or starve marine life, damage soil and poison groundwater, and contain chemicals that can increase the risk of cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. Plastics are contributing to disease and death for many marine animals who mistake plastic for food.
There are alternatives to using plastic wrap on leftovers. If refrigerating leftovers, store them in glass containers that come with tops. If you have bowls of food, just cover the top of the bowl with a dinner or salad plate. Or use a product like beeswax wraps, which work by using the warmth of your hands to make the wrap pliable and adhesive so it can mold around and stick to surfaces or itself. This creates a protective, breathable seal around food or its container.
If you’re freezing the leftovers, use glass or ceramic containers to avoid the risk of chemicals leaching into food. Use freezer-safe containers that have a snowflake-like symbol on them to indicate that they’re freezer safe or, in a pinch, plastic containers – the kind that takeout food comes in. For food scraps including bones, shells, meats and fish, remember that the Orange Transfer Station and Recycling Center has four large green compost bins where you can take all of your food waste. These bins are located between the Goodwill trailer and Bay State Textile Recycling containers.
There is always lots of cleanup at holiday time. To clean the kitchen without toxic chemicals, there are inexpensive and readily available natural ingredients like baking soda, white vinegar, warm water and mild dish soap which can be used for disinfecting surfaces and removing stains and odors. There are several ways to get food that’s burnt or stuck on pots and pans clean without too much elbow grease. Use a quick squirt of dishwashing liquid and a quarter to half cup of baking soda and let them soak for an hour or more; leave them overnight if they’re excessively messy. You can also cover the bottom of the pot with baking soda and then add vinegar into it. Another way is to gently simmer a pan with white vinegar or water with baking soda.
Baking soda is once again one of the best, inexpensive and effective ways to clean those hard-working ovens. Just apply a paste of baking soda and water to the oven, let it soak in for a few hours or overnight, then wipe it down with warm water.
Instead of wrapping gifts in traditional wrapping paper, use reusable or recyclable materials like cloth, old maps or gift bags. You can also reuse old wrapping paper for next year’s gifts. Use reusable plates and cutlery for holiday parties and get-togethers. Avoid using disposable dishes and utensils which aren’t recyclable.
Cardboard boxes can be reused for gift giving, storage and donations. For those cardboard boxes you are going to recycle, flatten them to save space and keep them clean and dry. The Orange Transfer Station has two large collection bins for flattened cardboard that gets recycled for a local paper company and pays the town. It’s a win-win solution for sure.
The transfer station also has a bin for food-grade glass jars and wine bottles. Just empty them, rinse them out and recycle the lids where plastics go. Donate or sell old electronics; don’t throw them in the trash. Cell phones, desktop and laptop computers, monitors, tablets, routers, TVs, wires and cables are all collected at the transfer station. Just ask the attendant to direct you as you drive in.
The best general strategy for the coming holidays is to consume less, consume wisely, compost at home and/or at the Orange Transfer Station and responsibly dispose of waste.
Susan Wineland is a member of the Orange Recycling Committee.
