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Waste free gift-giving

While there's no Waste Free Holidays program for 2009, we still encourage waste free gift-giving. It's the thought that counts, so try some of these great ideas for waste free gifts.

Gifts from the heart
Home-cooked meal
Home or car repair
Monthly lunch date
Night of babysitting
Dessert of the month
Donate to a charity in recipient’s name
Sponsor/adopt a zoo animal in recipient’s name
Month’s worth of Community Supported Agriculture

Create memories, not waste
Tickets/gift cards to:
Sporting events
Restaurants
Spas
Museums
Movies/theater
Cooking/dancing/golf lessons
Membership to zoo/aquarium, fitness club, arts organization
Metro Parks Tacoma gift ideas

If you’re determined to give “stuff,” wrap wisely…
Wrap a gift in a gift
Use a bath towel to wrap oils, lotions, bubble bath
Wrap barbeque utensils or picnic supplies in a tablecloth
Wrap kitchen gifts in dishtowels or oven mitts
Fill a flower pot with seed packets, bulbs, gloves, nursery gift card

Homemade wrap, ribbon and bows
Use reusable cloth, bags and boxes
Tie packages with old holiday lights for a funky, found-art look
Use old VHS and cassette tape as ribbon
Reuse old bells, fake holly, dried plant/herb trimmings or Pez dispensers in place of a bow
Wrap gifts with old maps, comics or paper bags

No Waste Free Holidays program for 2009
 
As you all know, the economy hasn't been good for any of us this past year.  For the City, our budgets are stretched and some services are being curtailed.  As a result, it was a unanimous decision by all our government partners (City of Seattle and King, Kitsap and Thurston counties) to discontinue Waste Free Holidays for at least 2009. 
 
We were fortunate to have supported and promoted Waste Free Holidays for the past six years. We feel we made progress and that perhaps some seeds took root.  We will continue to provide residents with  alternative, year-round gift-giving ideas and ways to reduce everyday waste.

Thanks to all our great business partners over the past six years.  And thanks to those of you who chose to purchase their discounted "experience gifts,” which are better than “stuff."

 If you are interested in becoming a business partner offering a discounted experience gift in 2010, contact program coordinator, Tom Voigt, tvoigt@cityoftacoma.org. 
 

Every season has a reason – reduce and reuse year round

Check out these seasonal tips to keep you thinking of new and exciting ways to reduce, reuse and recycle every month.

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter

Spring

• Going on spring break? Don’t buy cheap souvenirs that will just end up in the garbage after the nostalgia from your trip is gone. Consider using that money to go to an event or additional location, take pictures and you’ll always have the stories to share.
• To pass the time on long drives or rainy vacation days, bring scrap paper for drawing and games.
• Spring cleaning? Don’t throw usable items out, instead give them away or have a garage sale.
• Mother’s Day or birthday? Consider giving a live native plant or a garden plant that can be planted and enjoyed for much longer than just on that special day.
  
  Source: EPA

Summer

Vacation

• Before you leave, adjust the air conditioning and water heater thermostats in your home to conserve energy.
• Instead of buying small, travel-sized toiletries, fill reusable containers with shampoo, soap, etc.
• Reuse plastic or paper shopping bags to pack items for your trip and recycle them afterward. Plastic shopping bags are perfect for keeping dirty shoes and wet bathing suits separate from other items in your suitcase. Paper bags are great for packing snacks for the car.
• Book flights with airlines that offer electronic tickets to reduce paper waste.
• When you leave your hotel room, switch off the air conditioning, lights, and TV to reduce energy use.
• Take only what you need from restaurants or hotels. For example, take only napkins, condiment packets, free brochures, maps or coupons that you will actually use.
• Take along plastic bags to collect your used beverage containers for recycling at rest stops.
• When traveling by car or RV, make sure the vehicle is well-maintained—this improves fuel economy which prevents pollution and saves you money!

Fun for kids

• Start an art project with "found" objects. Collages and sculptures made from discarded items are a growing trend.
• Shop at stores that specialize in used sports equipment—you'll save money and promote reuse.
• When you're stuck inside on a rainy day, clean out your closet and collect old clothes and toys for donation to a charity or your next garage sale.
• Spend your free time volunteering at a local park or helping out with environmental clean-ups.
• Build a backyard fort or tree house from recycled materials, such as wood scraps, cardboard and other items you have around the house.
• Hot summer days require gallons of thirst quenchers. Be sure to recycle your used beverage containers. Consider putting a filter on your water tap and refilling bottles with the filtered water. Instead of many small drink bottles, buy drinks or drink mixes in bulk and fill reusable bottles.
• When making campground reservations ask about their recycling facilities.
• Pack waste-free picnics by using reusable bags and containers.
• At the beach, use old buckets and other items in your house to build sand castles instead of buying new products.
  
  Source: EPA

Fall

Back to school

• Get ready for school by making locker decorations out of old CDs. Decorate them with paint, stickers, rhinestones or photos, then stick magnetic tape to the back and they're ready to spruce up your locker.
• Pack waste free school lunches by using reusable bags and containers.
• Buy school supplies such as notepads and pencils that contain recycled content.

Yard and garden

• To reuse your yard and garden waste, compost it at home. Compost is a rich, organic soil conditioner for your lawn and garden.
• Cool, dry fall days are a great time to paint both the interior and exterior of your home. If you have paint left over from your project, give it to neighbors or a charity. Otherwise, make sure you dispose of unwanted paint properly.
• When stocking up on cold-weather gear, buy recycled-content items such as fleece clothing and blankets made from recycled bottles. Buying recycled-content products "closes the loop" encourages companies to make more items with recycled materials.
• When it’s time to replace your insulation, buy insulation made from recycled paper, glass, and other recovered materials.
• Check your heat pump or furnace and change the filter or make repairs if needed. Properly maintaining your furnace will conserve fuel by keeping it running efficiently and preventing leaks.
• Before winter weather sets in, remove screens from windows and doors and put up storm windows. Strong winds, heavy rains, and extreme cold can all damage your screens and ordinary windows, sending them to landfills before their time.
• Check caulking around windows and do touch ups to conserve energy and natural resources.
• Clean and properly store tools, toys and outdoor furniture to protect them from damage. This allows you to keep them longer instead of sending them to the landfill.
• When performing routine maintenance on your car, properly dispose of used motor oil, coolants and batteries at the City of Tacoma Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
• Why purchase a Halloween costume that you will probably only use once and then throw away? Instead, use old clothes or buy used clothes from a thrift store to make your costume. Also, remember to use a reusable bag or bucket instead of disposable ones for trick-or-treating.
• Make the most of your jack-o’-lantern. Use the removed meat to make pumpkin pie or muffins and roast the seeds as a fun holiday snack.
  
  Source: EPA

Winter

• Americans throw away 25 percent more garbage between Thanksgiving and Christmas than any other time of the year. This holiday season give experiences instead of stuff. Tickets to an event or admission to a museum are perfect “experience gifts” that keep unnecessary gift wrap and packaging out of the landfills. The City of Tacoma and other government partners join with local businesses to offer discounts on experiences during Waste Free Holidays.
• Warming up with hot cocoa or coffee? Most coffee establishments offer a discount when you bring in your own durable mug.
• Sending a package? Use popcorn instead of packing peanuts. If you receive a gift with packing peanuts, reuse them or donate them to a local mailing store. The City of Tacoma Recycling Center also accepts packing peanuts.
• Throwing a party for a big game on TV? Buy drinks and snacks in bulk to prevent packaging waste, and encourage guests to recycle their empty aluminum cans and glass or plastic bottles. Also reuse decorations or rent them from a party store.
• If you participate in a winter sport, purchase used sports equipment and look for sporting goods that are made from recycled material. Examples include hiking shoes with recycled rubber soles, basketballs made with recycled rubber, and ski jackets and sleeping bags made from recycled plastic bottles.
• This Valentine's Day, show your love for the earth by sending recycled-content greeting cards. Consider making new cards from scrap paper or by attaching new backs to the fronts of old cards—this can be a craft project for family and friends that helps everyone reduce paper waste while saving money. Also, consider sending electronic cards.
• Bake cookies or other goodies for your valentine and package them in reusable and/or recyclable containers as gifts. Homemade goodies show how much you care and help you avoid packaging waste. Consider also buying long-lasting silk flowers, potted plants, or live bushes, shrubs, or trees that can be planted in the spring.
• Think "green" while shopping the President's Day sales. Bring your own reusable cloth bag for carrying your purchases, and try to buy items with minimal packaging and/or made with recycled content. For example, buy fleece jackets made from recycled plastic bottles, sneakers made with recycled rubber soles, or clothes made from recycled cotton scraps.
  
  Source: EPA

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