Ding, ding, ding! The results from last month’s holiday recycling quiz are in! And we must say, Chittenden County: Not too shabby…not too shabby at all. The average score came in at an impressive 83%! You clearly know quite a bit about recycling! There were just a few common questions that tripped people up. Most commonly missed questions 1. Empty whipped cream cans 52% didn’t know they could go in…
Do you know what to do with these common holiday items? Which ones belong in the recycling bin – and which ones don’t? Take this quiz to find out!
For over a decade, Cornell psychology professor Thomas Gilovich has been saying—and demonstrating in studies—that experiences make people happier than stuff. In other words, people like things to do (and look forward to, and look back on) rather than things to have. One of his studies, published by Psychological Science in 2014, found that the feeling of happiness extends well before the experience itself. In an article about the study,…
Composting is a great option for kitchen trimmings, and food that has already spoiled. It reduces your impact on the landfill, and preserves the resources and nutrients for future use. But composting also takes resources and energy to create – including all of the energy, water, and fuel that went into growing and transporting the food in the first place! So, what’s even better? Buying only as much food as…
Planning your holiday party can be stressful! Between figuring out who to invite, what to cook, and what ugly Christmas sweater to wear, you’ve got enough to worry about without thinking of all the trash your fun will create. This is where we come in to help! With just a little thought, you can make things a lot easier (and cheaper) for yourself AND feel good about reducing your party’s…
I have to admit something. Turkey is bland. I’ve always thought so, but I would still always put it on my plate because…it’s Thanksgiving! Then I’d stuff myself on everything else and the turkey would be the one thing left behind. Thanksgiving is filled with tradition of over-filling your plate, after all, even if it’s with something you don’t really like. But that tradition can leave a lot of turkey…
Got a live tree? Give it a new life as Yule Fuel! Bring your tree to us and we’ll make sure it gets one last opportunity to light up the night: Santa’s elves (also known as the McNeil Wood & Yard Waste Depot staff) will chip it up and used as fuel to produce electricity. Step 1: Remove all ornaments, tinsel, and other decorations. Wire, plastic and other non-wood parts…
We get it. You don’t need another thing to focus on in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We’re here to show you how easy it is to cut a lot of the waste out of shopping, decorating, and throwing a party. 1. While shopping & decorating Keep reuseable shopping bags in your car—and visible!—so you don’t forget to use them. Shop for a gift to share—with you! Wrap…
It’s better to choose a live, local Christmas tree rather than an artificial one. Here’s why: The landfill is forever. Well, just about. The average artificial tree lasts 6 to 9 years but will remain in a landfill for centuries. With CSWD’s Yule Fuel program, when you’re ready to dispose of your real tree, it is given the chance to light up the night one last time when it is…
For many people, November is the gateway month to the holiday season and there’s never enough time, there’s always too much traffic, and the most convenient solutions usually turn out to be the most wasteful—leaving what’s left of your New Year’s resolutions in tatters. Relax. You don’t have to increase your landfill legacy while you’re out running around getting ready for the holidays. Take a deeeeep breath. Now let it out.…