The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and sometimes, a bit of clutter. As you deck the halls and spread cheer, consider these eco-friendly tips for recycling, donating, or upcycling your old, unwanted, or broken decorations. Not only will you help the environment, but you may also inspire others to do the same! 

1. Holiday Lights 

Broken holiday lights can be a hassle, but they don’t have to end up in the landfill. King County offers recycling options for these items, and you can find more information on their Green Holidays page below. If recycling isn’t an option, broken lights can be disposed of in your regular garbage. Let’s keep those lights twinkling instead of dimming our environment.  

Green holidays – King County, Washington 

 

 

 

2. Plastic Yard Decorations 

Plastic decorations can be tricky. If they’re in good condition, consider donating ol’ Frosty to a local Goodwill or listing them on the Facebook Kirkland Buy Nothing Group for someone else to enjoy. However, they should not be placed in your recycling bin, as they can contaminate the recycling stream. 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Greeting Cards, Wrapping Paper, and Gift Bags 

Save those gift bags and reusable wrappings to use again next year! You can recycle plain paper cards, bags, and wrapping paper through curbside recycling (glitter and foil are not recyclable). Still feeling festive? For a creative twist, upcycle old cards into ornaments or wreaths. Check out “Recycling Christmas Cards: 12 Creative Ways To Upcycle Old Cards” for more inspiration. 

Recycling Christmas Cards: 12 Creative Ways To Upcycle Old Cards 

 

 

 

4. Wreaths 

When it’s time to take down your wreath, separate the branches, decorations, and wires from the metal base. The branches can go into your gray yard waste cart for composting. Reuse the metal wreath base and decorations for next year’s festivities, and wires should go into the garbage. If you have fake wreaths, consider donating them for reuse, as they cannot be recycled. 

 

 

 

 

5. Batteries 

Don’t let used batteries pile up. Bring them to the Kirkland City Hall or North Kirkland Community Center for recycling. Batteries must be deposited directly into the recycling containers and not left in bags. For a list of accepted batteries click the link below. 

Battery Recycling – City of Kirkland 

 

 

 

 

6. Clothes and Textiles 

Every year, the average American tosses out a whopping 80 pounds of fabric – think sad, worn-out clothes, linens, and those shoes begging for retirement. Worldwide, this waste adds a staggering 92 million tons of textiles filling our landfills! But fear not, eco-warriors! You can give your gently used gear a second chance by donating to Goodwill, sharing the love in Facebook Buy Nothing Groups, or recycling them in the textile collection box at the Houghton Transfer Station. 

Houghton Recycling & Transfer Station – King County, Washington 

 

 

 

7. Trees 

After your holly jolly holiday, it’s time to bid adieu to that unflocked Christmas tree (no fake snow here, folks!). For the first two weeks of January, you can toss those undecorated trees—up to 6 feet tall—next to your cart for a free pickup by WM to go on a composting adventure! Living in an apartment? No worries! Just plop that tree next to the dumpsters during the same tree-tastic weeks. If your tree is taller than 6 feet, give it a haircut and chop it down to 4-foot segments. Set those trees out on your regular service day during the weeks of January 6 or 13, 2024. After that, it’s 3-foot segments and time to stuff them inside your yard waste cart. Feeling ambitious? You can also drop them off at the Factoria Transfer Station for some composting fun! 

 

 

By incorporating these simple practices into your holiday routine, you can enjoy a season that’s not only joyful and bright but also mindful and sustainable. Happy eco-friendly holidays! 🎄♻️