Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday season than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week! This year, avoid lugging six trash bags to the curb on Dec. 26 by finding clever ways to repurpose leftover greeting cards, wrapping paper and other holiday waste items instead. To get you started, Earth911 rounded up 10 ways to upcycle common holiday leftovers into new-to-you items that can be used any time of the year.
Homepage Image: Vanessa/Nifty Thrifty Things
1. Create lovely luminaries from unused wrapping paper
Wrapping paper and shopping bags account for about 4 million tons of trash produced annually in the U.S., and the bulk of wrapping paper waste occurs during the holiday season.
These alternative wrapping ideas will help you stop gift wrap waste before it starts. But if you still have some leftover wrapping paper around the house, this pretty and practical project from Vanessa of Nifty Thrifty Things will help you transform every scrap into lovely luminaries that are perfect for year-round use.
Head to Vanessa’s photo tutorial for tips and step-by-step instructions to help you create these cozy luminaries in less than 30 minutes. Simple crafting with less waste? Sounds like a win-win to us!
PHOTOS: Compostable Holiday Decor
PHOTOS: Creative Alternative Gift-Wrapping Ideas
Double Your Use of Common Holiday Items