​Plastic is a pain. No matter how much you try, you can’t completely get rid of it in your life. Plus, we Americans are “wishful” recyclers, often assuming that if something has that little three-arrow circle symbol, then we can throw it in our curbside recycling. Not so much, because the numbers don’t mean much. What can and can’t be recycled is dependent on your municipal systems for collecting and sorting waste. Plus, the idea of recycling plastics doesn’t really work. Globally, we’ve only recycled about nine percent of all the plastic ever produced.Even though plastics only entered the mainstream economy 60 years ago, we’ve already managed to produce 8.3 billion metric tons, which has become 6.3 billion metric tons of disposable plastic waste. This is trash that takes more than 400 years to degrade, and it doesn’t seem like manufacturers are slowing down. Plastics that claim “earth-friendly,” “eco,” “biodegradable,” or “compostable” are largely misleading. There are no industrial composting facilities able to crate the correct environment for composting these specialty plastics. New research has shown, these plastics take more resources to produce, and still potentially release harmful chemicals. 
 
Some plastics are necessary, but many more can be avoided with a little effort. When I started my journey with the handle "plastic free mamma." I had high-hopes about how I could live completely without buying any new plastic. Um, that was trip down headache lane. In the end, there are much bigger and better ways to make a difference in the fight for our planet's future than beating yourself up over the vitamins you need that come in a plastic bottle. But, that doesn't mean you should focus on major reductions where possible.
 
Prevent waste in the first place:

• Avoid buying products that come in plastic that cannot be recycled curbside
• Purchase meat at the counter and request paper wrap (It still has a plastic coating and must go in the trash, but is substantively less plastic than pre-wrapped meat or a plastic bag
• BYO durable cups, utensils, and straws for on-the-go meals
• BYO take-out container when eating out in case you have leftovers
• Choose restaurants and cafeterias that use durable dishes, cups, and flatware
• Shop for naked produce and/or bring your own produce bags
• Shop in bulk! BYO bags or jars – even washing and re-using plastic bags for bulk makes a big difference!
• Reduce or eliminate online shopping

 
When you have pesky plastics that you can’t re-use:

• Round plastic bottles or containers (no lids) over 6 oz can go in your curbside recycling 
• Soft plastic bags, bubble wraps and other soft/stretchy plastics can be recycled with Trex collections – we’re collecting at Odyssey, but many grocery stores have collection stations
• Styrofoam and #6 plastics can be taken to Agilyx
• Clear, hard, take-out plastic containers that aren’t #6 have to go in the trash (this includes most product packaging)

 
According to experts, for every five pounds of plastic recycled, you could drive eight miles (round trip) to a depot and still save energy! 
 
Have something you’d like to recycle, but you’re not sure where? Portland has amazing recycling experts standing by to answer all your questions! Call your recycling expert at 503-234-3000 between 8:30 am and 5 pm Monday through Saturday, or submit a question online.

Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the holiday season. That’s equivalent to 25 million tons of garbage, or 1 million extra tons per week. Here’s 10 tips to reducing your environmental impact this holiday season:
 

1. Prioritize “experience” gifts over physical gifts. Thing like concert and sporting event tickets, gift certificates for restaurants or museums, or memberships help create memories rather than garbage. We love massages, music lessons, and theater tickets, in case you were wondering!
2. Cut down on your wrapping paper or skip it all together. Re-use and recycle newspaper and brown paper bags, old maps, or scraps of fabrics to give items a second life. If you must get paper, look for recycled wrapping and avoid paper with metallics (those can’t be recycled).
3. Compost your tree or try a potted one. Oregon company The Potted Christmas Treerents you a potted tree and then picks it up for replanting in watershed restoration projects. 
4. Think about purchasing secondhand gifts. It’s very trendy right now!
5. Keep gifts simple and thoughtful. One special and quality item is better than five cheap ones that will be out of favor in a few weeks. 
6. Make a gift of investing in someone’s future. Contribute to a child’s savings account, education IRA or give them a U.S. Savings Bond. 
7. Have the conversation with your friends and family about your goals for reducing your holiday waste through low waste gift giving or skipping gifting all together. Need some help broaching the subject? Writer and Vancouver mom, Leah Payne has some great tips and advice on her blog“What if others aren’t on board? Troubleshooting low-waste gift giving.”
8. Turn of your holiday lights during the day or consider setting them on timers to come on only during peak hours of enjoyment.
9. Consider sending e-cards or choose recycled content holiday cards. Again, avoiding ones with metallic features because those can’t be recycled. Paper Cultureuses 100% post-consumer recycled paper and plants a tree for every purchase. 
10. Make a gift of a charitable donation in someone’s name. This is our favorite for a large extended family. See my blurb below as an example and customize it for yourself!

 
“Dear X: As we head toward the holiday season, we would like to respectfully request no gifts this year. We would like to reduce our environmental impact and focus on experiences, not things. We would be so honored if you would like to divert any gift giving funds in our name to Save the Children. One of the world's top-rated charities, Save the Children is on the ground in global crisis situations making a tangible difference in the lives of children caught in those struggles. Please use this link to donate to their Global Action Fund. Thank you, and may your holidays be filled with peace and joy!”
 
Don’t be trashy: #creatememoriesnotgarbage