As the holiday season approaches, the stress of planning for a lovely holiday can quickly become overwhelming. From meal planning to gift buying and everything in-between, it can all seem like too much, especially if you want to be as sustainable as possible. Here are some tips to help you to plan with our planet in mind:

1. Decorations. There are plenty of ways to find beautiful items for your holiday display:

• Check your local Buy Nothing group for items. You can find holiday decorations that have only been used once or twice.
• Thrift and charity shops are an excellent source for holiday decor. These stores hold these items just for this time of year. Now is a great time to check to see what goodies they have on their sales floors.
• Hold an ornament/decor swap with your friends and community. This is a great way to refresh your items while helping others to give new life to your items.

2. Gifts. Shopping for loved ones can be tricky. There are numerous ways to buy new or gently used items:

• Your local thrift store could have just what you’re looking for. It may take some time, but it could be worth your time to check it out.
• Try resale apps like Poshmark, Whatnot, Depop, and eBay. These sites are a goldmine for new or gently used items that have been carefully curated by resellers.
• Etsy is a great option for handmade gifts. It’s the place to go to support small business owners and individual artists and crafters.

3. Gift Wrap. If you find yourself out of gift wrap for your holiday gifts, here are some green options:

• As mentioned above, hit your local thrift stores for gift wrap, ribbons, bows, and the like. Many stores will have these items bundled together for a great price.
• Repurpose textile items that you are no longer using. If you have clothing items that you no longer wear, cut them up and wrap your gifts with them. You can cut strips off to use for bows and ribbons.
• Remember when we covered our books with paper grocery bags? Why not use those same bags as gift wrap! It’s so easy to cut and decorate. Create your own pattern or leave it brown. Use a little yarn or twine for your ribbon.

When the holidays are all done, be sure to responsibly dispose of your trees and uneaten food items. Check the College Park website for news and information about tree disposal and food scrap collection. For trash, recycling, and special collections, visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/200/Trash-Recycling-Special-Collections. For food scrap collection, visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/303/Food-Scrap-Collection-Programs.

Happy holidays!