From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons all add up to an additional 1 million tons to our landfills. (Source: EPA, SMC Recycleworks)
Much of this waste could be reduced without any compromise of the festive spirit. For example, if every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. (Source: CalRecycle)
An attractive alternative to gift paper is to make re-usable gift bags of scrap fabric. Instructions are available for all degrees of sewing ability at http://so-sew-easy.com/fabric-gift-bags/. Fabric gift bags will also be available for purchase at the Christmas Fair.