Each year, over 25% more waste is generated during the holiday season, adding 1 million tons of trash per week nationwide between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. By practicing a few simple, earth-friendly actions, we can significantly reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills during this festive season.

From sustainable gift ideas to local shopping and eco-friendly gift wrapping, here are eight easy ways to reduce waste for a greener holiday season.

1. Choose a Sustainable Holiday Tree

If holiday trees are a part of your holiday celebration, here are some sustainable options to consider when purchasing. 

Choose living trees that can be replanted or donated to continue growing. Rent a live tree through Rent a Living Christmas Tree. Local nurseries that sell living trees: 

• Bongard’s Treescape Nursery – 12460 Highway 92, Half Moon Bay, CA, (650) 726-4568 

• Wegman’s Nursery – 492 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA, (650) 368-5908 

• M&M Nursery – 332 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA, (650) 366-4429

If you opt to cut your own tree, choose locally grown farms such as: 

• Santa’s Tree Farm – 78 Pilarcitos Creek Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA, (650) 726-2246

• Rancho Siempre Verde (RSV) – 2250 Cabrillo Hwy, Pescadero, CA, (650) 224-9103

• Skyline Tree Farm – 22246 Skyline Blvd, La Honda, CA, (408) 395-0337

2. Try Zero Waste Tree Decor

Once you have your tree, you can try out a variety of environmentally friendly decor ideas. Have fun, be creative, and use what you already have! 

• Make your own ornaments! You can use recycled or household materials such as beads from old jewelry, soda cans, paper towel rolls, CDs, or images cut from cards. 

• Create snowflake designs from recycled paper — great for kids! 

• Try alternatives to tinsel, such as popcorn strands, macaroni garlands, or icicle lights. If you do use tinsel, remove it before recycling your tree and reuse it next year, since tinsel cannot be recycled

• More ideas for easy and free crafts!

3. Reduce Waste from Holiday Cards

According to CalRecycle, an estimated 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold each year in the U.S. — enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. Below are some ways to reduce that number: 

• Donate unused cards to SCRAP (Scrounger’s Center for Reusable Art Parts) a resource center for schools, nonprofits, artists, and the public: SCRAP — 801 Toland St., San Francisco, CA, (415) 647-1746 

• Cut out old cards to use as gift tags. 

• Save the cards you receive to repurpose into new cards next year.  

• Make envelopes from recycled paper, like magazines, paper bags, newspapers, etc. 

• Make cards from scratch using recycled paper around the house.  

• Explore e-greetings from online card services like American Greetings or Hallmark to reduce paper waste.

4. Use Zero Waste Gift Wrapping

Sustainable gift wrapping might seem like a daunting task, but with a few creative swaps, you can make beautiful and unique eco-friendly gifts! 

• Get creative and use what you already have to wrap gifts. Use materials like: 

• • Recycled wrapping paper, ribbons/bows, and gift bags  

• • Newspapers & magazines 

• • Paper bags 

• • Packaging from online orders  

• • Fabric wrapping 

• • Old maps, calendars, or junk mail 

• • Any kind of recycled paper  

• If you choose to use new packaging, use sustainable gift-wrapping options like: 

• • Reusable cloth wraps  

• • Compostable Tissue Paper  

• • Natural decor like twine, dried flowers, or foraged items.  

• See more gift wrap ideas!

5. Gift an Experience 

Sometimes, the best gifts are shared experiences with loved ones – and the options are endless! 

• Offer experiences, not items – such as concerts, local museums, weekend getaways, cooking classes, or adventure experiences.  

• Help a friend or family member clean out unwanted items and donate them. Visit RecycleStuff.org to find social service organizations that will pick up usable items. 

6. Create Homemade Gifts

Make meaningful homemade gifts using reused art and craft supplies!  

• In need of materials? Visit SCRAP (Scrounger’s Center for Reusable Art Parts) for low-cost materials donated from the community, items that otherwise would have ended up in the landfill. 
• Some ideas: crocheted accessories, memory boxes, homemade natural beauty products, pressed flower bookmarks, homemade jewelry or keychains, embroidery, homemade preservable food items, festive wreath.   

Put on your chef’s hat and make homemade food items for your loved ones.

• More homemade gift ideas!

7. Give a Gift of Local Food 

Local gifts are not only personal and more eco-friendly, but they also help strengthen our community.  

• Support local farms and producers such as: 

• • Blue House Farm – 50 La Honda Rd, San Gregorio, CA 

• • Harley Farms – 205 North St, Pescadero, CA 

• • Webb Ranch – Two Portola Valley locations

• • Pie Ranch – 2080 CA-1, Pescadero, CA, (650) 262-1223

• • Pomponio Ranch – 3300 Pomponio Creek Rd, San Gregorio, CA, (650) 726-2925

• • R&R Fresh Farms – 2310 Pescadero Creek Rd, Pescadero, CA, (650) 954-0055

• • Steadfast Herbs – Pescadero, CA, (650) 538-6035 – available by appointment

• • Simms Organics – 4700 Pescadero Creek Rd, Pescadero, CA, (650) 847-0017

• • Fifth Crow Farm – 3800 Cloverdale Rd, Pescadero, CA, (831) 600-5452

• • Root Down Farm – 2601 Cloverdale Rd, Pescadero, CA, (650) 879-9921

• • Imperfect Produce – online delivery service 

• • Farm Fresh to You – online delivery service 

• • PickYourOwn.org –  farm directory 

• • California Agriculture Tourism Directory –  farm directory 

• Support certified Green Businesses 

• • Find local green businesses doing good for the community and planet! 

Blue House Farm

R&R Fresh Farms

8. Plan a Low-Waste Holiday Party

It might take a few extra steps, but low-waste parties are worth it! You might even save money on supplies and energy bills. Check out our suggestions:  

• Purchase party supplies in bulk, and only what you need. 

• Use reusable dishes, utensils, cloth napkins, and tablecloths. If you don’t have enough, borrow or rent. 

• Turn down the heat before guests arrive to save energy. Their body heat will warm the room! 

• Repurpose last year’s holiday cards as place cards. 

• If using paper products, choose items made with recycled paper content. 

• Decorate with plants, fabrics, and greenery instead of plastic streamers or Mylar decorations. 

• Reduce food waste:
  • Send guests home with leftovers or bring extra food to work. 
  • Check out our recent blog post about how to reduce food waste.

A little planning goes a long way towards reducing waste and celebrating more sustainably. Let’s make this holiday season joyful, thoughtful, and healthier for our planet.  

Learn more about what San Mateo County is doing to reduce waste.