Celebrate with Less Waste
Did you know, in making one can’s worth of new items, 
seventy cans of trash is created?
When celebrating, try to reduce or reuse instead of buying new.
Here is a fine list of ways to give plastic-free gifts.
What you can’t reduce or reuse, try to recycle. Manufacturing a new item from recycled materials requires fewer resources and generates fewer emissions than if virgin materials were used. However, the recycling process still uses energy and water, creates pollution, and contributes to climate change, which is why reducing and reusing are preferable.
Tips for a Low-waste Celebration
Reuse
- Look for gifts, decorations and outfits at the local thrift stores, Bargain Boutique and Waterfront (Senior Center) Thrift Shop.
- To pass on holiday items you’re no longer using, post on Buy Nothing Bainbridge, Free on the Rock, craigslist, or take to the Goodwill truck in Ace Hardware‘s parking lot. Use those same online sites to scout out used gifts.
- If you’re having lots of guests over, borrow from our Zero Waste Tableware Lending Library.
- This blog has other ideas for celebrating with reuse in mind.
Recycle
ELECTRONICS
(Donations may be refurbished, remanufactured or recycled.)
- Anything with a cord – Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station. Put in designated e-waste section.
- Batteries, all types – Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station
- Cell phones and small items (calculators, camcorders, iPods, MP3 players, printer cartridges, videogames, accessories), computer peripherals – Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station (except for printer cartridges), Best Buy or Staples
- Computer monitors and CPUs, laptops, tablets, TVs – Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station
- Holiday light strings (broken) – Bainbridge Ace Hardware, now through January 15, 2024.
ORGANICS
- Cooking oil (no food particles) – Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station
- Food scraps, all – Compost in curbside yard waste bin or Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station yard waste (small fee)
- Trees – Scout Troops 1564 & 1804 pick up curbside on Saturday, January 6, 2023. You must make a reservation for pick-up by January 5. Donation requested. Trees are chipped by Tilz and become compost.
PACKAGING
- Air pillow packaging – Reuse: The UPS Store or Zutto Vintage & Antiques. Recycle: Pop and recycle in the plastic bag receptacles at Town & Country or Safeway.
- Bubble wrap – Reuse: The UPS Store or Zutto Vintage & Antiques, 162 Bjune Dr.
- Cardboard boxes (flatten) – Recycle: Curbside recycling or cardboard dumpster at Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station
- Compostable “peanuts” – Dissolve in water.
- Mailers, entirely of bubble wrap – Recycle: Plastic bin at Safeway or T&C; cut off paper label
- Mailers, paper exterior and bubble wrap interior – TRASH
- Mailers, all paper (including Amazon mailer with puffy white glue dots) – Recycle: Curbside recycling or mixed recycling at Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station
- Mailer, all plastic – Recycle: Cut off the label and put in the designated bin for plastic bags at Safeway or T&C.
- Plastic film (not crinkly; it must stretch when pushed with thumb; also, must be clean) – Recycle: Safeway and Town & Country Market. To see all the kinds of film that can be recycled at the grocery store, go here.
- Styrofoam (snappable) blocks (CLEAN, DRY, white; remove all tape and stickers) – Recycle: See this page for options.
- Styrofoam “peanuts” – Reuse: Check with local art galleries or glass artists to see if they need them for packing. Otherwise, check the Styro page for options.
PAPER
Reuse if you can. If you can’t…
Recycle in curbside recycling or mixed recycling at Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station
- Envelopes > Just paper (no bubble padding)
- Gift bags > Non-glossy, remove non-paper handles and non-paper decorations
- Holiday cards > Remove batteries and anything non-paper. Glitter cards go in trash.
- Wrapping paper > Non-glossy, non-foil type, no glitter. Remove non-paper decorations. A good way to test wrapping paper recyclability is to crush wrapping paper into a ball. If it stays bunched up, it is more than likely recyclable.
Compost in curbside yard waste bin or Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station yard waste (small fee)
- Tissue paper – But glittery tissue paper goes in trash.