Dear Cardinal Courier Readers,

                My name is Teri Romeo and I am a student at Monroe Community College. Recycling and promoting environmental education is a big part of my life. I do a lot of volunteering in my community, and try to spread the word about the benefits of recycling. Below I have included some simple information to help reduce waste over the holidays. A lot of this information is available on the Monroe County website. I have also toured the Monroe County Recycling Center. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Teri Romeo

Holiday Recycling Tips:



Let's face it, the holiday season has many people buying, wrapping and celebrating.  This substantially increases the amount of solid waste we generate. However, there are also opportunities for us to reduce, reuse and recycle this holiday season. Listed below are some tips for a green holiday season.


Tips for Holiday Shopping


When shopping, bring your own reusable tote bag rather than accepting a separate bag for each purchase (be sure to get your sales slip so you can verify your purchases). Look for products containing recycled content whenever possible and choose products that are minimally packaged.


Recycle Christmas Trees


Most of the towns and Villages in Monroe County recycle Christmas trees - chipping and mulching them for compost or landscaping materials. Trees must be free of tinsel, decorations, nails, tacks or any other foreign materials. Visit us at monroecounty.gov to get the list of tree recycling programs in your area.


Donate Old Things to Charity


New gifts will often replace appliances and clothes that still have a useful life. Collect these items and donate them to Goodwill, Salvation Army, local churches, day care centers or charity groups. When clothes or electronics are no longer functional, please consider recycling these materials.  For specific information about local companies accepting these items visit us at monroecounty.gov.


Recycle Cardboard and Boxes


The holiday season creates a tremendous amount of cardboard waste. Be sure to separate corrugated cardboard (flatten and cut into pieces no larger than 2 x 4 feet).  Pizza boxes can be recycled too.


Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Gift Wrap


If you buy gift wrap, look for recycled paper with the highest post-consumer content you can find.  Later, fold your used gift wrap and include it with your other paper recyclables. 


Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Greeting Cards


Buy holiday greeting cards made from recycled paper (don't forget to look for the highest post-consumer content you can find) or make your own. Use postcards to eliminate envelopes and excess paper. Clip holiday cards to make gift tags for next year. Jot down your favorite recipe on the back to include with a hostess gift.