Don’t recycle wrapping
This year, think about doing somebody a favour, or helping out someone, somehow, as your Christmas gift.
Doing that could save you money, make some memories and ease things down at the recycling depot by reducing the amount of waste and wrapping paper that has to be processed.
If you follow the Christmas tradition of most people, don’t put any of the wrapping paper in the recycling bags. The pretty and shiny gift wrap is not recyclable.
“The abundance of plastic, laminated foil, and metallic wrap that gets mixed up with the paper unfortunately makes these loads unrecyclable,” explains the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society’s Kim Day.
Shopping local can also help. Buying gifts from school Christmas bazaars, second-hand stores and consignment shops or at the Haney Farmer’s Market Winter Market (Saturday, Golden Ears United Church, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) can also lighten the environmental load and the demand on the recycling and garbage-handling system.
Day pointed out that starting Dec. 1, Maple Ridge scouts are selling trees at Cap’s Westwood Cycle at 216th Street and Lougheed Highway.
When the holidays are done, the trees can be chipped by Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue.