Guide to Holiday Recycling and Shopping

Ways to minimize holiday waste

Let our simple, visual guide help you sort through holiday waste. While holiday festivities bring us closer, they can also bring more waste into the home. A simple gathering at home, a work gift exchange, or a gift shopping adventure: all leave behind packaging to sort through. The Holiday Recycle Guide shows you how to save many reusable and recyclable items from going to the landfill.

Also, if you're hosting a gathering with food, composting is another way to collect and recycle food scraps. For more guidance on composting, visit our website.

Printable Guide

Less energy, safer lights with LED

Post-Thanksgiving, neighborhoods begin to come alive with the sparkle of holiday light decorations. The type of lights you use matters when it comes to your electricity bill and energy use. Did you know you have the ability to save up to 75% in energy costs on decorative lights by choosing LED lights?

According to a Department of Energy study, decorative lights consume around 6.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year in the United States. Consider using LED lights for a more energy-efficient holiday season.

Not only do LED holiday lights consume less electricity, they also have the following advantages*:

Safer: LEDs are much cooler than incandescent lights, reducing the risk of combustion or burnt fingers.
Sturdier: LEDs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass, and are much more resistant to breakage.
Longer lasting: The same LED string could still be in use 40 holiday seasons from now.
Easier to install: Up to 25 strings of LEDs can be connected end-to-end without overloading a wall socket.

*Source: LED Lighting | Department of Energy

Recycle your old string lights

Whether upgrading or replacing your broken holiday lights, be sure to recycle your old string lights. There are many options throughout Kitsap. During the holidays, some local hardware stores collect old string lights to recycle. Check with your local store or look for a receptacle next time you're out shopping.

You can also recycle your string lights in our metal scrap bins year-round at the Silverdale Recycling and Garbage Facility and Olympic View Transfer Station recycling areas. Many scrap metal recyclers also accept string lights.

Wonder where to recycle other lights?

LightRecycle Washington accepts up to 10 mercury-containing lights per day. You can protect the environment from unwanted release of mercury by recycling your CFLs, fluorescent tubes and HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights. Recycle accepted lights for free at a location near you!

While mercury lights need proper recycling, incandescent and LED light bulbs are safe for your trash.

Holiday shopping insights

Bring your own bag

It's been one year since Washington's single-use plastic bag ban started. Still, many of us have found ourselves fumbling to carry our items, no bag in hand, at least once.

Save yourself the trouble. With holiday shopping upon us, it's a good time to make a plan to bring your own bag whenever you go out.

Plan to stock your car, backpack or purse now, and be ready for the holiday hustle. This way, whether you have a scheduled or unexpected stop, you'll be ready with a bag of your own.

Memories outlast materials

Sometimes, the best gifts come in the simplest ways. Consider how you can lower your impact on the environment by giving your loved ones the gift of time. It's a good way to avoid the extra waste in wrapping gifts that will one day be outdated.

The gift of an experience can cost nothing, like a walk in the park, or be as elaborate as a week-long excursion. Any age or budget can give this special gift of time.

Make the most of each day by making memories and forget the material things. They'll only decay eventually, while an experience with your loved one shapes who you are together.