It Starts with A Card - Composting at Christmas
While E-cards are gaining popularity for being environmentally friendly, the tradition of sending holiday cards and gifts through the mail remains a cherished part of Christmas, dating back hundreds of years.
In the USA, greeting card making is the number one craft hobby, which means many cards include recyclable or compostable components.
With over 2.6 billion Christmas cards exchanged each year in the USA, the stakes are high. If not properly recycled or composted, these cards can end up in landfills, contributing to the production of greenhouse gases.
How to Keep Cards Out of Landfills
The good news is that HOTBIN loves greeting cards!
- Recycle: Remove any non-recyclable elements, such as glitter, plastic, or foil, before placing cards in the recycling bin.
- Compost: Plain paper-based cards (free of coatings, glitter, or embellishments) can be composted. Tear them into small pieces to speed up decomposition in your HOTBIN.
By making small changes, we can ensure this beloved tradition is celebrated in a more sustainable way
The good news is that HOTBIN loves cards. However, HOTBIN can’t eat a whole one! We are of course joking… just remember to shred/cut them up into small pieces and mix in with food waste. Also remember to take-off any parts with foil or other non-compostable part, and to only add anything paper based or made from natural fibers.
Alternatively, if you do not have the right composter to do dispose of them, you may prefer to put them on your recycle bin to be collected by your local recycling provider.
Can I donate my old greeting cards?
Yes, you can donate them. Indeed – Donating an old greeting card might sound a little bit strange, but St. Jude's Ranch for Children in Nevada re-purposes old greeting cards through their Recycled Card Program and resell them to help fund their programs to help families in need.
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