City of Saskatoon offers tips on how to cut down on waste over holidays

People are being asked by the City of Saskatoon to keep waste reduction and recycling options in mind during the holiday celebrations.

Earlier this month, the city launched its new Recycle Better in your Ugly Sweater campaign, which encourages keeping waste reduction and diversion top of mind around Christmas.

Amber Weckworth, the city’s education and environmental performance manager, suggests gifting people with memories from experiences over material possessions as well as using non-fancy wrapping paper.

Here are some of the tips that the city is promoting during the campaign:

• make homemade gifts out of old reusable material;
• re-gift old or unused items that might still bring joy to others;
• reuse or pass down old decorations;
• skip the fancy wrapping and reuse paper, ribbons, bows and bags;
• wrap gifts with newsprint and other unique material;
• reduce food waste by planning meals efficiently;
• take large or excess recycling to a city recycling depot; and
• recycle live Christmas trees at a city drop-off site from Dec. 26 to Jan. 31.

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People are reminded that Dec. 25 garbage and recycling collections will happen on Dec. 28, and Jan. 1 collection will happen on Jan. 4. The city landfill is closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

More information and tips on holiday waste reduction and diversion can be found on the city’s website.