Public Service Announcement
Simple ways to waste less during the holidays
Edmonton households produce a lot more waste than usual during the winter holidays. Join the growing number of residents who are taking easy steps to reduce waste while still enjoying a fun and fulfilling season with friends and family.
Creating less waste doesn’t need to take away from the activities enjoyed with friends and family. It’s about thoughtfully approaching holiday traditions and finding creative, considerate ways to celebrate.
There are a number of simple ways Edmontonians can reduce waste while still honouring their favourite holiday traditions:
Rethink gift-giving. Gifting an experience, like a night out or a new digital subscription, eliminates the need for wrapping. Thrifting gives an item a second life, while making a gift is a fun way to unleash creativity.
Support local. Sourcing gifts from local vendors can help reduce excessive packaging and emissions from transporting goods.
Visit the Waste-Less Holiday Market at the Reuse Centre on Saturday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for locally made gifts, thoughtfully crafted with waste reduction in mind.
Visit edmonton.ca/ShopLocal for more tips and deals!
Choose to reuse. Wrap gifts in reusable or reused items, such as fabric, gift bags, scarves and gift boxes, or reuse newspaper and tissue paper.
Optimize holiday meals. Mindful meal planning helps avoid food waste. Plan menus in advance to reduce excess leftovers, use everyday cutlery and dinnerware instead of disposables, purchase only what’s needed and have a plan for any leftovers.
Along with taking steps to reduce holiday waste, it is also important for residents to ensure the holiday items they dispose of end up in the right place. Proper waste sorting keeps City staff safe from potential hazards and helps ensure operations run efficiently. Some quick tips for safe sorting include:
Batteries, electronics and e-waste. Follow the WasteWise guidelines to safely dispose of batteries, broken string lights and other hazardous materials. Batteries and e-waste should never be placed in the garbage. Remember, if an item makes noise, lights up or connects to the internet, it must be disposed of at an Eco Station.
Fireworks and sparklers. To safely dispose of holiday fireworks, call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 to arrange for collection.
For additional tips on seasonal decor, holiday florals and food, visit edmonton.ca/WastelessHolidays. Edmontonians can also use the WasteWise app to find out what goes where. Find the app at edmonton.ca/WasteWise or download it for free from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
Reducing waste during the holidays supports the waste reduction goals outlined in the 25-year Waste Strategy and helps the City to continue to deliver efficient waste services.
For more information:
edmonton.ca/WastelessHolidays
