[Grovenet] Reduce, reuse, recycle gift wrap

Fri Dec 19 06:57:00 PST 2008

Hi, Barb,

Most of the stats that I have read show that artificial trees don't last very long.  I think five years or less is the average.  And then, of course, they can't be recycled.  Sounds like you have beaten the odds, and with flair!  (Or is that flare?  Just how bright is that tree?)

Jane B-P

-----Original Message-----
From: b Smith <smithsmith at gmail.com>
To: Forest Grove local interests list <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 9:07 pm
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Reduce, reuse, recycle gift wrap

OK -
This may seem a little odd - but we have had an silver colored aluminum tree
for years- (bought at a garage sale in Florida for $1) and one year I
wrapped all the gifts in silver foil.  No ribbons, no tape, and just wrote
the recipients name with an el -marko pen.

So now it is tradition.

  We recycle the foil. We set the red recycle tub in the living room and wad
up the foil and use our best aim.

 When the color wheel is spinning off that tree and those gifts... ahh...Now
that is
Christmas!

Barb

On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 1:29 PM, John Schrag <jschrag at fgnewstimes.com>wrote:

> Hey Grovenetters
>
> I like this idea and have saved Jane's email for a possible story for next
> years holiday guide. If you have other ways to green-up the holidays, post
> them here or send them directly to me (jschrag at fgnewstimes.com)
>
> Our family has been re-using wrapping paper long before Earth Day was
> founded. It com
es from being raised by parents who lived through the
> (first?) Depression.   I can't tell you how many times my kids have been
> able to remember what previous presents were wrapped in a particular
> well-worn sheet of paper.
>
> My son also makes origami figures from scraps of wrapping paper and uses
> them as bows.
>
>
> John Schrag
> Editor & Publisher
> News-Times
>
> 503-357-3181
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
> Behalf Of Katie Allnutt
> Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 1:08 PM
> To: Forest Grove local interests list
> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Reduce, reuse, recycle gift wrap
>
> Thanks Jane,
>   I think it helps to learn what techniques other people use so we
> can try them too.
> I do similar things (like no bows) but my recycled paper usually only
> makes it around twice.
>   I don't shop for Christmas cards because I am on so many lists of
> places that send me cards as a thank you for my donation. I can't
> throw them out but I suppose I could cut them up for tags.
>
> Katie
>
>
> On Dec 18, 2008, at 12:02 PM, Phoenixacm at aol.com wrote:
>
> > So, I am in the middle of a multi-year program to green up my
> > Christmas.
> > Thought I would give you a status report.
> >
> > 1-Reduce:
> > -The Burch-Pesses household no longer buys bows.   There are other
> > ways to
> > make packages look pretty and most of the presents we buy get
> > mailed out so they
>20> would arrive with smashed bows anyway.
> > -The Burch-Pesses household no longer buys ribbon, except for the
> > "crinkle"
> > ribbon.   It's only about a quarter of an inch wide (which reduces
> > the amount
> > of ribbon going in the landfill) and we no longer circle the
> > package twice with
> > the ribbon, only once.
> >
> > 2-Reuse:
> > -At the end of the holiday season I go through the Christmas cards
> > we have
> > received and cut them up to make gift tags (the to: from: cards
> > that go on the
> > wrapped present). So the Burch-Pesses household no longer buys gift
> > tags.   I
> > actually find this to be a fun and somewhat creative project.   I
> > cut tags in
> > all sizes and shapes and use a hole punch to punch a hole in them
> > so that the
> > single band of crinkle ribbon on the gifts ties the pretty gift tag
> > on the
> > package (so if the recipient wants to s/he can reuse the gift wrap).
> > -Any gift bags, tissue paper, bows, or gift wrap on presents we
> > receive is
> > saved to be reused. I find it easy to do.   It only fills one of
> > the many
> > Christmas boxes we have.   Pieces of gift wrap usually get smaller
> > and smaller until
> > they are no longer usable.   Tissue paper is reused until it is too
> > ratty and
> > then is usually used as padding in the boxes of presents we mail out.
> >
> > 3-Recycle:
> > This, unfortunately, is the weak spot. =2
0 Cards and wrap that have
> > foil (gold
> > or silver looking stuff) on them are not recycle-able.   Tissue
> > paper is not
> > recycle-able.   (Of course, ribbon and bows are not recycle-able.)
> > -The Burch-Pesses household does not buy Christmas cards that do
> > not have
> > recycled content.   This is the hardest thing we do - tracking down
> > Christmas
> > cards with recycled content.   We find them, but it's a
> > challenge.   We found
> > them at Freddies last year.   I went to Hallmark and Target last
> > night and
> > couldn't find any cards or wrap that had recycled content.
> > Strangely enough, I
> > found some truly ugly cards at Target that look like they are made
> > from kraft
> > paper (the kind grocery bags are made of) and they didn't even have
> > recycled
> > content!
> > -Our Christmas newsletter is printed on paper with 100% recycled
> > content.
> >
> > Yes, I know that sending ecards would produce less waste and burn
> > less fossil
> > fuel than mailing cards.   We may get to that eventually, but right
> > now it's
> > way too much fun sending and receiving cards.
> >
> > Wishing you a green Christmas!
> >
> > Jane B-P
> >
> >
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