25 Days of Giving - Day 23
How to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues by Going GreenChristmas is 2 days away, so here are a few reminders for how to boost your spirits after the holidays by being environmentally friendly.Hopefully you have already followed some of the "25 Days of Giving" reuse tips and reused some of your holiday items such as old holiday cards and household items for gift wrapping and gift making, etc. so you have already scored points and are looking for more ways to be green .The resource lists I’ve provided aren’t comprehensive, so my apologies if I’ve left some off.
- Recycle your tree.
City of Austin’s got you covered – for curbside residents, it’s as easy as taking your tree out curbside on your usual collection days. For others, there are 4 days in January you can drop your tree off at Zilker Park. Free mulch is even given in January. More details are here http://www.austintexas.gov/department/recycle-your-christmas-tree-local-resource. If you want to spread more cheer with your tree, here are other ideas for reuse http://diy.allwomenstalk.com/things-to-do-with-your-christmas-tree-after-the-holidays
- Clean and purge.
After the holidays is a great time to make room by deciding what you no longer use. Here are some reminders for where your discards can go:
- Clothing can be donated to: Dress for Success, The Arc of Texas, Goodwill, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Salvation Army, St.Vincent de Paul, Caritas of Austin, Any Baby Can, and Safe Place.
- Electronics can be taken to: Austin Resource Recovery, Goodwill, and Z-Tech Global Solutions.
- Austin Creative Reuse takes a large range of art and craft supplies, fabric and notions, a range of paper products, office supplies, AV equipment, small toys, vintage photos and memorabilia, jewelry supplies, and lots of odds and ends like keys, carpet samples, tile samples, architectural hardware, etc. – if you’re unsure of what we take, check our website for materials we accept or contact us.
- Go to or host a swap meet.
Plan a get-together with friends, neighbors, and co-workers where you have a re-gifting party. Add food, drink, crafting, and games for the family and this could be a great time. If you don’t want to host your own event, check out Do512.com or freefuninaustin.com for upcoming swap meets or search clothing swaps on facebook to find them in your area.
- Make a resolution to stay informed. Austin EcoNetwork is an amazing resource for staying connected to what’s going on with Austin and the environment. They are extremely knowledgeable and work tirelessly to keep the community informed with articles, events, job postings, eco-directory, etc . Check them out and subscribe to their newsletter at: http://austineconetwork.com/
Stay tuned for more post holiday reuse tips and blog posts in the next couple of weeks and 2 more days of "25 Days of Giving!