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| Turn trash into treasures: low-cost ideas for holiday gifts
Now that the official holiday season has begun, Sonoma County residents should be on the alert for ways to avoid holiday waste. The quantity of trash generated during this time period increases dramatically; according to estimates from the California Integrated Waste Management Board, almost 25 million tons more waste is created during the holidays than over a typical ten-week period. Discarded items include holiday wrap, cards and ribbon, not to mention the enormous quantity of cans, bottles and plastic containers tossed after holiday celebrations. Despite these excesses, Donna Caldwell, recycling coordinator at the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency, observes that the holiday season isnıt only a time to create more waste. "Many of the items we typically recycle or even throw away can be transformed into fun or imaginative gifts. Containers--such as glass and plastic bottles, or aluminum and tin cans--can be particularly useful during the holidays." "Family members and friends often appreciate the thoughtfulness of home-made gifts, and gifts made from reused materials are easy on your budget and good for the environment, as well," Caldwell adds. Following are some examples of how to turn ordinary bottles, cans and jars into gifts or decorations for the holidays. Tin can VOTIVE --Fill an empty soup can with water and then freeze it. Once the water has frozen, use a nail and hammer to create a design in the can. Allow the ice to melt, pour the water out of the can, and place a candle inside. Holiday CANDLE HOLDER-- Remove all labels from a small jar, such as a baby food jar. Using old holiday cards, cut pictures into sizes small enough to fit on the jar. Glue the pictures to the jar and put a rubber band around the jar until the glue dries. Paint glue over the entire outside of the jar, then sprinkle on salt to make it sparkle. Let dry and put a small candle inside. Tin CANDY CONTAINERS -- Paint the outside of tuna or cat food cans with white paint. Punch two holes near the top edge on opposite sides and use lightweight wire to make a handle, converting the can into a basket. Decorate the outside with stamps or paint. Fill rectangles of colored cellophane with a few pieces of hard candy, tie the top closed and put it all inside the can. Plastic BOTTLE BIRDFEEDER -- Remove labels from a two-liter plastic bottle and keep the cap on. In the bottom of the bottle, drill two small holes. Thread a piece of wire through the holes and make a loop to hang the birdfeeder, then use duct tape to seal the holes and keep out rain water. Near the neck of the bottle, drill holes on opposite sides of the bottle and slide an 8- to 9-inch dowel through the holes to make a perch. Make one-quarter inch slots 2 inches above the perch. Remove the cap, fill bottle with a mixture of sunflower seeds and other birdseed, replace the cap tightly and hang the feeder where birds can enjoy it. Bottled ORANGE VINEGAR -- In a large saucepot, place 1 quart white vinegar, 1 cup of sugar and the peel from one medium orange; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Transfer vinegar to glass bottles or jars and cover tightly. This flavorful vinegar can be added to salsa or meat marinades to give it a tangy flavor, or use it as a vinaigrette with light-flavored olive oil. Bottled OCEAN WAVES -- Start with a glass or plastic bottle with a tight screw cap. Baby food jars work especially well. Mix half vegetable oil and half water. Add food coloring and glitter to create your own holiday snow globe. Finally, a large-mouth jar can find numerous new purposes: a vase (add marbles on the bottom and dried or fresh flowers on top), a container for candy or homemade cookies (decorate with stickers or ribbons), or packed with delicious homemade jam. In addition to turning containers into gifts, individuals who wish to have more Earth-friendly holidays can take action in many different ways. Gift wrap creates a tremendous amount of waste during the holidays, but can be avoided by choosing reusable gift bags or boxes, recyclable colored comic pages or attractive magazine pages, or brown bags that children can color for a rainy day activity. Last yearıs holiday cards can be pasted onto colorful paper to make new cards, or trimmed to make gift cards. Christmas trees are one of the largest items that most families discard during the holidays. For Sonoma County homes that have greenwaste service, Christmas trees can be cut down to fit in the greenwaste toter and picked up with other yard materials. Or watch for flyers from local community organizations, which sponsor programs to pick up trees. In addition, the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency has a Christmas tree hotline at 707-565-3333, or check this web site for drop-off options for Christmas trees. For numerous reuse craft ideas, including many appropriate for children, visit http://craftsforkids.about.com/library/bltrashtr.htm . Other holiday waste reduction links: California Integrated Waste Management Board, http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/PublicEd/holidays/default/htm |
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Contact us at eco-desk@recyclenow.org |