Make It A Green Holiday!
Blog by UCRRA Master Composter – Recycler Volunteer Adele B. (Class of 2025)
December 3rd 2025
The holiday season is upon us and if you’re feeling overwhelmed by “the material world” maybe it’s time to think about an eco-friendlier approach to decorating, gift giving and gathering. Every year the shopping craze and overspending hit us all, as big box stores inundate consumers with cheap deals and the latest and greatest in holiday shopping, generating more plastic and packaging waste that is often not recyclable, and loading our home up with things we probably really don’t even need. It’s estimated that Americans increase their trash output by almost 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years.
Decorating
Everyone wants to make their home merry and bright for the season, but store-bought items are often low quality, don’t last as long as they used to, and are made with plastic and synthetic materials that leave a negative impact on our environment. Here are some tips to help you green up your decorations!
Instead of an artificial tree, consider a new tradition and buy a balled, potted, live tree that you can plant once the holiday is over. If you tend to use a live, cut tree, they can be left outdoors or tossed in a pond or lake (with permission by landowners) when you’re done with the tree, and this creates a habitat for fish and other wildlife. Alternatively, check with your local municipality about any options for curbside pickup or drop off at a local town transfer station. Holiday trees can be chipped into wood chips, or turned into compost.
Perhaps you have grown tired of the same old decorations you use year after year. Consider donating them to a family in need via a local mutual aid site online or through a local donation agency. Take a walk through one of Ulster County’s many thrift stores to find some previously loved items to add to your holiday décor. Upcycling old decorations can also be a great way to create a new look for the holidays!
Maybe you are lucky enough to have some pine trees on your property and can collect some natural materials like pine boughs, holly cuttings or cedar to add to your mantle or center piece.
Create bespoke decorations by using dried fruit to create whimsical ornaments and garlands instead of ones using glitter and plastic.
Rosemary from the garden makes a lovely mini wreath that smells good and can be used as an ornament or as part of garland.
Low Waste & Eco-Friendly Meals
Shopping locally and supporting local farms can make a huge impact on lowering your carbon footprint. Creating a dinner menu that celebrates local, in-season foods means your ingredients will be fresher and you’ve decreased the overall time and distance our foods have had to travel to reach your dinner table. Locally sourced foods are closer to peak-freshness and have better quality, too! Many local farm stands stay open well into the holiday season to offer freshly baked pies and breads, meats and winter veggies.
Having a low environmental impact can also mean purchasing ethically sourced and organic ingredients whenever you can. “Ethically sourced” means products are created with fair labor practices, sustainable supply chain and environmentally friendly work environments. Look for a stamp on the packaging identifying that the contents as ethically sourced. By being mindful of our purchasing habits, we can help support sustainable businesses that align with our values.
Don’t let all your hard work go to food waste! Take the guesswork out of over-cooking and having too many leftovers – use a free online tool like the “Dinner Party Guestimator” created by Save the Food Campaign. It helps you plan a menu and shopping list knowing exactly how many “eaters” you’ll be hosting – and it even accounts for leftovers!
Once you have your decorations and meals set it is time to decide what to serve it on! If you plan to use your own plates and cutlery, but aren’t sure if you will have enough, consider borrowing from a neighbor, renting from a local company, shopping second hand to get some more, or asking guests to bring their own for an eclectic mix! Cloth dinner napkins can easily be dropped in the wash and put away till next season and this is another great item to find in local thrift or antique stores.
If you’re having a houseful and need to use single use disposable plates and cutlery, consider choosing products sourced from recycled content, or other plant-based materials like bamboo or palm leaves. If you are able to compost at home, make sure to clearly mark a bin for compostables so your guests know where to dispose of them properly.
Encourage a low waste meal by making sure you’ve got the right portions for your number of guests to avoid excessive leftovers. You can also offer finger foods or items that do not require extra utensils or cutlery. If you think you’ll have leftovers, ask your guests to bring their own to-go container such a tiffin or bento box. Since you’re going to have lots of veggie peels, fruit rinds and other compostable items, the holidays might be the right time to start that compost pile you’ve been thinking about. Dumping scraps in the compost pile can diminish how much trash you send out this holiday season, plus you will have material to add in the spring to freshen up your garden beds.
Throughout Ulster County there are opportunities to drop off compost at collections depots.
https://ucrra.org/waste-recycling/food-waste/find-a-drop-off-spot/
If you have more leftovers than expected, consider donating meals for your local free fridge, a place where community members can drop off freshly made, canned or frozen items for people who are facing food insecurity.
https://ucrra.org/community-spotlight-kingston-community-fridges/
In addition to the fridges mentioned here, there is also a Free Fridge located at 165 Broadway, Port Ewen set up by the Esopus Community foundation.
Gift Giving
Finally, gift wrapping paper is a notorious culprit for increasing holiday waste. While most wrapping paper, gift bags, and tissue paper is recyclable (unless the paper is metallic or glittery) they can also be easily swapped out for other eco-friendly ways to reuse items you may already have – like kraft paper, old maps, or sheet music. You can even use fabric wrapping, or challenge yourself to make the wrapping part of the gift in some way, such as creating a gift basket, gift box, or useful storage container. And instead of ribbon or bows consider adorning your gifts with natural elements such as cinnamon sticks, dried fruit slices or pinecones.
The Recycling Outreach Team encourages you to use this holiday season to create new sustainable habits and traditions for your household that are useful throughout the year and help keep waste low! Like this blog? Share this blog along with your favorite eco-friendly tips with your friends and family to help get them started on their zero waste journey – because a cleaner, greener planet is something worth celebrating this season!
