Waste is just another part of the holidays. From Christmas trees to wrapping paper and food containers, here are some tips for reducing and correctly disposing of waste.
Recycling and compost rules vary a ton from city to city. The principles that can help avoid creating waste altogether, though, are universal.
Randi Walkins works for the City of Boise in waste management. She emphasizes the importance of reducing and reusing materials this time of year.
“For wrapping paper, we think it’s important to consider saving any that’s in good condition for future reuse,” Walkins said.
She also shared Boise-specific tips. If that wrapping paper can’t be saved, it should be recycled, unless it has foil or glitter. That kind needs to be thrown out. Toss bows and ribbons too.
Anything labeled compostable must also be thrown in the garbage, since Boise’s compost program can’t process that type of material.
In Boise, Christmas trees are processed through compost pickup. The tree should be cut into four-foot sections, and the branches tied down.
This can be complicated, so Peter McCullough, who’s also with the City of Boise, reminds folks of the saying, ‘when in doubt, throw it out.’
“If you put something in the recycling that doesn’t belong there, it does more harm than good,” McCullough explained. “It costs everybody money to sort that out.”
These city-specific tips apply just to Boise. Here are resources on how to recycle in your city:
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