Tips for the Holidays: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Shopping:
Purchase gifts with limited packaging. Opt out of getting a bag at the store and bring your reuseable tote when holiday shopping.

Send e-cards or recycled cards:
If you can, send out electronic holiday cards to reduce paper waste. Try to purchase cards made out of recycled paper if you are mailing them out.

Use an earth-friendly alternative for gift wrap:
Gift wrap alternatives could be scarves, handkerchiefs, bandannas, old posters, maps or newspaper.

Holiday items you can recycle:
Regular gift wrapping paper (no foil), paper shopping bags, gift boxes, holiday cards and envelopes, packing paper, cardboard packing pieces, holiday catalogs.

Holiday items that can't go in your blue recycling cart:
Liners and tissue paper from shopping bags and shoe/gift boxes, ribbon, foil backed wrapping paper, foil backed wrapping paper, plastic bags and wrappers, Styrofoam.

Electronics:
Remember to recycle your old electronics at Deschutes Recycling, located at Knott Landfill in Bend. TVs, computers, monitors, desktop printers, keyboards and mice can be recycled for free. Other electronics can be recycled for a nominal fee.

For more information on how to reduce your waste and other reuse options, visit www.rethinkwasteproject.org.

Before tossing old items in the trash, consider donating them to one of the many thrift stores in our area.

Bend Habitat Restore

Goodwill

City Thrift

Humane Society Thrift Store