Wrapping up for Christmas
20 November 2003
Christmas is a great time for presents and celebration but before you head
out to join the seasonal shopping spree, keep in mind the likely environmental
effects of your seasonal activities.
Reducing your waste by shopping wisely and recycling helps save our environment.
Christchurch people throw away 230,000 tonnes of rubbish a year, which equates
to 650kg per person or 40 bus loads of rubbish a year. Amazingly, 65% of
that rubbish could have been recycled or composted.
Christchurch City Council studies show that about 25% of a Council black
rubbish bag is filled with paper, yet all you have to do with magazines,
wrapping paper (excluding foil wrap) or junk mail circulars is keep them
flat, clean and put them in a plastic shopping bag on top of your recycling
crate for collection.
Fold up your paper for recycling, re-use packaging for children’s
craftwork or even better, shop wisely. Some helpful tips for shopping are:
- Choose products with less packaging e.g. refills, concentrates
or buy bulk
- Avoid using disposable items, buy durable repairable products
- Choose recyclable products or packaging
- Look for eco-labels like the environmental choice logo with
the tick
- Buy pre-loved items from second-hand or opportunity shops and
from garage sales or local markets
- Take your own carry bag shopping
-
Say “No thanks” to plastic carry bags.
Shopping wisely saves energy, saves resources and reduces the impact on
landfills.
If your normal rubbish and recycling collection day is Christmas Day or
New Years Day place your rubbish bag or recycling crate out on the following
Saturday for collection. All other rubbish collection days continue as normal.
Those heading away on holiday or cleaning up after a party can dump up
to three black Council rubbish bags and recycling free at any refuse station.
All refuse stations are open in the Christmas-New Year period during the
usual Summer trading hours of 7am to 4.30pm weekdays and 8.30am to 5pm weekends
except:
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- New Years Day, when all refuse stations are closed.
Further inquiries on kerbside rubbish and recycling: telephone 9418-830
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