Concerned about paper and cardboard waste once your holiday shopping is done? Here are some quick facts and ways you can be more eco friendly this holiday:
One of the most common misconceptions people have about paper and printed products comes from waste - there's a reason we call it "junk" mail. My apartment complex has smartly placed a recycling bin by the community mailboxes for unwanted junk mail, but that doesn't cover the rest of the recyclable waste we collect.
According to a pair of recent articles on the Paper & Packaging Board website, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25% in the U.S., according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but approximately 62% of Americans don't understand the rules for recycling in their community.
Here are some facts about Holiday Recycling:
Taken from HowLifeUnfolds.com
- In 2018, 96.4% of all cardboard boxes consumed in the U.S. were recovered for recycling, and over the last three years, 92.7% of corrugated cardboard was recycled, which is the highest of any packaging material.
- The U.S. Postal Service estimates that nearly 16 billion pieces of mail and packages will be delivered during the peak 2019 holiday season
- Wrapping paper and greeting cards without foil, cellophane, plastic coating or glitter can be recycled.
- All those stamped paper envelopes that were used to deliver holiday cards to your door are recyclable.
If you're like me, you've already got an impressive pile of Amazon boxes waiting to be wrapped or reused - but if you don't need them and aren't sure how to recycle them, check out BeRecycled.org, a great resource for learning the regulations about what can and cannot be recycled, and where to find dedicated centers in your area.