Around the holidays, an extra 1 million tons of trash is thrown out each week, and one of the biggest offenders of seasonal waste is single-use gift wrap. Use these eco-friendly gift wrapping tips to cut down on the waste this season.
1. Reuse Brown Paper Bags
Use recyclable paper bags from The Common Market or Wegman's. Cut them flat and use the non-printed side as a canvas. Keep plain or decorate with a hand-written message, drawings or stamped designs.
2. Upcycle Shipping Supplies
Use delivery parcels instead of store-bought gift boxes. Why stop there? Throughout the year, save the string, ribbon, tissue paper and brown or white packing paper companies often use to ship their products. You'll have your eco-friendly gift-wrap ready to go!
3. Add Natural Festive Accents
Rather than use a shiny plastic bow, go natural with tree branches, cotton buds, cinnamon sticks, small pinecones, rosemary, fallen leaves or whatever else you can sustainably source. The easiest way to gather eco-friendly gift garnishes is to clip sprigs off your own Christmas tree, but you can also get scraps from local farms.
