 Nice List
What to Recycle and Compost
Cardboard boxes: Remove tape and break down your cardboard boxes into pieces smaller than 3' x 3' and place them in your blue recycling cart. If they cannot be broken down into pieces smaller than 3' x 3' recycle them at a Wake County Convenience Center.
Christmas cards (Paper): Recycle paper Christmas cards or reuse them as gift tags for next year! Christmas cards made from photographic paper must be tossed in the trash.
Christmas trees: Remove all decorations and lights and place your tree at the curb. Beginning in January, crews will pick up trees on your yard waste days and take them to the Yard Waste Center where they will be reused and processed into mulch. If you do not receive yard waste service you can drop off your tree at the Yard Waste Center.
Natural wreaths and garlands: Place your natural wreaths and garlands in your yard waste cart. They will be taken to the Yard Waste Center and composted.
Tins: Tins like those that store popcorn, cookies, and candy can be recycled in the City of Raleigh, but you can also reuse them! Tins can be used as wrapping paper alternatives or to store your ribbons and bows for next year.
Wrapping paper free of non-paper additives: Wrapping paper can be recycled if it is free of non-paper additives such as glitter, plastic, or foil. You can test its recyclability with “The Scrunch Test.” If you can scrunch wrapping paper into a ball and it stays together, it can be recycled. If the ball does not hold, the wrapping paper must be thrown in the garbage.
Wrapping paper tubes: Just like paper towel tubes, you can place these cardboard tubes in your recycling cart.
 Host a Recycled White Elephant
Gift exchanges are a common pastime at holiday parties. Known by multiple names like White Elephant, Bad Santa, and Yankee Swap, these gift exchanges all have the same premise. Participants bring a gift, take turns opening and stealing presents from others, and leave with a new gift.
Make your gift exchange more sustainable and budget friendly by stipulating that everyone must regift an object they already have at home. Not only do you not need to spend any money, you can get rid of that thing that's been taking up space at home that you've been meaning to get rid of forever.
Solid Waste Services hosted a Recycled White Elephant exchange during last year's holiday party and it did not disappoint. It was eye-opening to see the things that people brought and never even used: a shower curtain, French press, blankets, and brand new unopened nose hair trimmer just to name a few.
This year, instead of a typical gift exchange, be thrifty and reuse! You never know who will find treasures within your clutter.
 Repurpose Trash into Fashion and Win Big!
The City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services’ Trashion Design Competition is officially open for submissions. The SWS Trashion Show is part of the annual City of Raleigh Environmental Awards ceremony and highlights garments and accessories created using recycled and reused materials. High school students, college students, adults, and aspiring designers are encouraged to submit their recycling-inspired creations for a cash prize of $500.
Guidelines
- Create a garment using at least 75 percent of recyclable materials accepted by the City of Raleigh’s recycling program like aluminum cans, plastic bottles, paper, cardboard, etc. Search for recyclable materials using the Waste Wizard on the Raleigh Reuse Web Tool and App.
- Complete the online entry form with a description of your creation, along with photos or video.
- Entries are judged on originality, functionality, and quality of construction.
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