It is estimated that between Thanksgiving and the New Year an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. In fact, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone is thrown out each year-enough to tie a bow around the earth. Here are a few ways to help you reduce the amount of trash that you take to your curb. Every effort moves the City closer to the goal of reducing the amount of refuse destined to our landfills.

No-Waste Gift Giving Ideas

• The California Department of Conservation On-line Green Gift Guide

• Give gift certificates, you know that the gift will be kept.

• Make gifts. Everyone enjoys a home-cooked meal or goodies.

• Tickets to a sporting event, movie, play or concert. Or make a charitable contribution in someone's name.

• Bring your own reusable bags when you go shopping - see the Shop Green page for more ideas.

• Remember to always look for recycled content items - see the California Integrated Waste Management Board's On-line Recycle Store!

No-Waste Gift Wrapping Ideas

• Purchase sturdier gift bags and save the ones that you have received to be used again.

• For large, hard to wrap gifts just add a fancy bow or hide the gift somewhere in the house, and give the person a clue card or cards to lead them to it.

• Wrap gifts in the funny pages, old posters or brown bags.

• Give a Christmas stocking with gifts that can be used next year.

• Hang earrings, bracelets, or necklaces right on the tree, or put them inside or around an ornament.

• Decorate an oatmeal box and fill with cookies or wrap kitchen supplies in a dish towel.

• For the handyman, wrap a gift in a tool box.

• Replace tissue paper with old lace or used gift wrap.

• For a reader, wrap a book in a reusable canvas shopping bag.

• Always buy post-consumer recycled-content gift wrap.

More Waste Reduction Tips

• Buy an artificial Christmas tree or garlands to be used year after year.

• Buy a living Christmas tree and plant it, or donate the tree to a local school or nursing home after the holiday. Planting a live tree is a wonderful way to mark a special occasion, such as a couple's first holiday or the birth of a new child. Be sure to find a variety that will thrive well in your climate.

• Keep the reusable wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, and other gift decorations.

• Most gift boxes can be flattened and used throughout the year for other items - recycle boxes that can not be reused.

• Drop off extra packing material at local private mailing centers. Call the Plastic Loosefill Products Council hotline at 1-800-828-2214 for the names of local businesses that reuse them.

• Save the fronts of cards to use as gift tags or to make new cards. OR send card faces to the Saint Jude's Ranch for Children to be made into new cards and sold for the benefit of the organization.

• Got a new appliance, toy or coat? Consider giving the old one to a local charity or thrift store. Call 909-384-5549 to request a Zero Waste Communities Reuse - Repair - Recycle Directory, or click the link to view it on line.

• Recycle all of those gift catalogs, and pick out the ones that you don't want to receive anymore and have your name removed from their mailing list. See the Reduce Unsolicited Mail & Faxes page for more info.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree, It's As Easy As 1,2,3 . . .

1. Remove all stands, ornaments, and lights - all-metal stands may be recycled in the BLUE container.

2. Cut tree into 3 foot sections.

3. Place trees with tinsel or flocking or artificial trees in your BLACK container. Place only UNflocked trees with NO tinsel in your GREEN container to be composted.