Recycling isn't just for Aunt Emelia's fruitcake. Give that gift you never used from last year to someone else (just not the person who gave it to you). Give gently-used items to charities, which helps clear out clutter. If you buy new gifts, look for products made from recycled materials. When you go shopping, take reusable bags with you. They don't end up in a landfill.
If much of what you are buying runs on batteries, get rechargeable batteries. And remember the battery charger: get one for your family and one for whomever you give battery-powered gifts.
Do the folks on your list really need more stuff? Do YOU really need more stuff? If not, skip the store-bought presents and give a home-cooked gourmet meal or free night of babysitting instead, or donate to a charity in their name. Oxfamamericaunwrapped.com invites donors to "buy," for example, a camel ($175), cow ($75), sheep ($45), building tools ($25) or the planting of 50 trees ($30) as a way to support Oxfam's programs in developing countries (the recipient gets a card with a photo, not an actual cow). For more ways to give, go to Treehugger.com.
Living gifts are another option: seeds, house plants or potted plants to be planted outside in the spring. Gifts of food, events — like tickets to the theatre or the big game — or personal services also reduce holiday waste, not to mention saving you time on wrapping. Speaking of which....
Wrapping
Wrapping gifts doesn't mean wasting a ton of paper. Put gifts in reusable decorative boxes, gift bags or Christmas tins. Cut the pictures off old Christmas cards and use them for gift tags.
As for cards, buy cards made from recycled paper, or send e-cards, which use no stamps, require no gasoline to deliver and arrive faster.
If you love to wrap, use colored newspaper comics , old maps, stock reports or want ads (picked with the recipient in mind). For a Christmas project for the kids, have them color or stamp plain paper bags, and then use the bags to wrap relatives' gifts. Save any ribbons or bows you get this year to reuse next year.
How to crochet plastic grocery bags into tote bags!
Find examples and directions at: http://www.ccthitaswan.org/pdf/Crocheting_bags.pdf
More ideas here: http://www.greenrightnow.com/illinoishomepage/category/green-right-now/
Where is the big recycling dumpster which used to be behind McDonalds??
Take 130 N (5th St.) about .8 mile from Madison Ave. to the water tower just before Vesuvius. Turn right (east) at the water tower. There is a small sign indicating the recycling site. The bin is at the base of the water tower.
Acceptable items are listed in the column to the right under the blog polls.
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