JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling would like to remind everyone in the Jackson Hole community that the holidays can be enjoyed in an environmentally-sustainable manner. With just a few simple steps, “going green” over the holidays doesn’t mean sacrificing the holiday spirit!
Christmas Trees
Teton County Waste Diversion and Outreach Coordinator, Carrie Bell, recommends purchasing a real, live tree as opposed to an artificial tree. According to BBC Science Focus Magazine, artificial trees emit more than 11 times the amount of carbon compared to a live 6.5-foot tree that goes through a woodchopper or is burned after use.
In Teton County, disposing of your live Christmas tree after the holidays is easy. Take your undressed tree (i.e. don’t leave ornaments or lights on them) to the rodeo grounds after the holidays, and Teton County Solid and Waste will take care of the rest. Live evergreen trees can be recycled and turned into mulch, for instance.
Christmas Lights and Ornaments
LED Christmas lights are preferable compared to traditional incandescent lights. While they are more expensive up front, they will save you over the long run since they can last up to 50 times longer and use 80% less energy.
Ornaments are a wonderful way to practice “re-use” during the holidays. Collect high-quality, meaningful ornaments over time and rather than throwing away items, keep a storage bin for your ornaments during the off-season and have them ready to re-use each holiday season.
Wrapping Paper and Packaging
Wrapping paper is certainly a fun tradition, but unfortunately, it cannot be recycled. There are other ways to get creative with wrapping presents, though, such as using paper bags, old t-shirts and other recyclable materials. As a gift wrapper, you can really get creative here and create your family’s own tradition of fun, recyclable gift wrapping.
Another recent trend that has been occurring recently, especially due to COVID, is ordering gifts online which in turn is creating higher volumes of packaging waste. The recycling center encourages you to shop locally whenever possible, both to support local businesses and to reduce packaging waste.
Food and Beverage Volume
In the past, cooking high volumes of food for large family gatherings was the norm, but in this year’s COVID holiday season, gatherings between family and friends are expected to be much smaller.
Consider how many people will be attending your gatherings, and be conscious about purchasing only the amount of food and drinks necessary, to avoid having too many leftovers that end up becoming food waste.
Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling hopes you’ll consider these tips for enjoying a more sustainable holiday season and of course wishes you all a Happy Holidays!
