Keep holiday decorations natural so you can recycle them
When we decorate around the house for the holidays, a lot of us use natural materials like pine cones, evergreen swags and branches with berries to add some festive cheer. To keep these natural materials, well, natural, avoid painting or gilding them. Adding shimmer with spray paint, gold foil or even using ribbons can transform an arrangement from compostable and biodegradable to trash. Leaving natural items natural ensures that when the holidays are over, you can safely let them biodegrade.
BOOK A BIKE
Are you traveling and visiting a city where you’d like to get around on a bike instead of renting a gas-guzzling car? Check your smartphone for apps that connect people with rentable bikes. One such app is called Spin Lister. You can search it based on the city and the dates you will be in need of a bike, and it connects you with bikes that are available to rent. It lists the type of bike, what rider height it is ideal for and how much it costs per day. You can also find surfboards, skis and other gear to rent.
BUY SOLID WOOD
When shopping for new furniture, the healthiest option is usually pieces made from solid wood. Engineered wood furniture made of materials like particle board, plywood or MDF may contain harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, which could off-gas in your home. Look for pieces treated with zero VOC stains or paint, too. Or to be extra sure, invest in unfinished solid wood furniture that you can stain or paint yourself; you will likely save money, since it’s unfinished.
COMPOST CRITTERS
When you layer organic matter like dead leaves, grass clippings, vegetable waste and other items in a compost heap, it “warms up” as the items degrade into beneficial mulch. In the cold winter months, anything warm is potentially shelter for wild animals. If you are flipping the compost with a rake in the winter months, do it with caution: Frogs, toads and other small animals may be living inside. Better yet, wait until spring to flip the compost, when warmer weather means those animals will have found shelter elsewhere.
MAGNETIC WREATHS
Many people like to hang a wreath on the front door to decorate the front of the house. And many birds mistake wreaths for potential places to nest and call home. Since killing a bird that nests in your wreath is illegal in most communities, try this little trick: Embed some magnets inside the wreath. The natural magnetic field can be disruptive to birds, making the wreath an uninhabitable place. It’s hidden, safe and keeps your wreath nest-free.
LEAF HABITAT
Dead leaves in your yard aren’t just beneficial mulch that will one day turn into organic fertilizer; they can help birds, too. Leaves are a habitat that moth pupae love to live in when they’re totally undisturbed. These pupae mature and become caterpillars that are a crucial food source for birds. And leaves can be a habitat for small animals like snails, toads and salamanders, too. Just dedicating a controlled and small area to leaf mounds can make a huge difference to help our wild friends thrive.
KEEP OUT SMALL PIECES
Even though they may be recyclable, if you have small items like bottle caps or a cut-up aluminum can, not all of it can actually go into the recycling bin. According to the waste disposal company Republic Services, if it’s smaller than a credit card, it shouldn’t go into the bin. Small metal pieces can get stuck in processing machines and force recycling lines to shut down so they can be fixed. If it’s bigger than a card, recycle it. If it’s smaller, toss it in the trash.