Eco & Wallet Friendly Alternatives to Giftwrap

Eco-Friendly & Wallet Friendly ALTERNATIVES TO GIFT WRAP Seeing perfectly packaged presents on birthdays, anniversaries, and around the holidays just adds an extra feeling of magic. But all that gift wrap Usually just gets tossed when the occasion is over. Check out some new ways to bring out the magic of gift-giving without all the waste. UNWRAPPING GIFT WRAP GIFT WRAP INDUSTRY Sheets of decorative envelope lining papers sold for 10 cents each FOUNDED IN The next year they sold 3 sheets for 1917 25 cents $0.10 ) $0.25 - IN THE 1930s rolls of adhesive tape with dispensers and decorative ribbon were invented BY HALLMARK Gift wrapping was not subject to the rules of rationing during WWII THAT'S DOUBLE WHAT WE SPEND ON AMERICANS SPEND $2.6 BILLION CYBER WHICH BECAME THE ON GIFT WRAPPING EACH YEAR MONDAY BIGGEST ONLINE SHOPPING DAY IN HISTORY! EACH HOLIDAY SEASON, IF EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA: wrapped just 3 presents in reused materials & reused just 2 feet of ribbon we'd save enough paper to cover and enough ribbon to wrap 45,000 ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD FOOTBALL FIELDS IMAGINE IF WE DID THAT FOR EVERY GIFT-GIVING OCCASION! WRAP UP SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR SCRAP PAPER There's gift wrap all around your house if you just look at things differently... Sheet music Shopping bags Maps Posters Old calendars 1979 FABRICS Have unused fabrics or unwanted fabric accessories? Handkerchiefs Scarves Pillowcases Tea towels Scrap fabric pieces IK BOXES Spare boxes don't require any wrapping and can be decorated, reused, and recycled Software/Game boxes Shoe boxes Unused takeout boxes Plastic food storage boxes Shirt boxes OTHER HOUSEHOLD CONTAINERS Why limit yourself to boxy rectangles when you have all these other shapes on hand? Mason or other Vases glass jars Flower pots Weaved baskets THRIFTED TREASURE Browse your local thrift or antique store for unique gift packaging Vintage suitcases Decorative Vintage purses Small trunks Jewelry boxes REUSE, THEN RECYCLE If you do use gift wrap for some of your presents, find out about local recycling options MOST GIFT WRAP LOW CAN'T GO IN YOUR DYE NEIGHBORHOOD RECYCLING, QUALITY FOR SEVERAL REASONS: Dyes and laminates Non-paper additives Low quality (too thin to have any reusable fibers) Leftover tape stuck to the paper isn't recyclable (Metallic colorings, glitter, plastics) SOME TYPES OF GIFT WRAP CAN BE RECYCLED IN CERTAIN CITIES, THOUGH, SO LOOK UP YOUR TOWN! ANN ARBOR, MI CLEVELAND, OH BALTIMORE, MD RALEIGH, Nc LOS ANGELES, CA C. Depending on the city, only about 60-80% of all recyclable materials actually get recycled BE SURE FIND OUT YOUR TOWN CLI RULES TO REDUCE YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT! SOURCES http://www.giftypedia.com/Gifiwrap http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press_Releases/2011/11/Cyber_Monday_Spending_Hits_1.25_Billion http://bgm.stanford.edu/pssi_faq_holiday_waste http://earth911.com/recycling/paper/wrapping-paper/facts-about-recyclingwrapping-paper/ http://thesecretyumiverse.wonderhowto.com/how-to/6-diy-gift-wrappingideas-for-holidays-0132210/ http://earth911.com/recycling/paper/wrapping-paper /facts-about-recyclingwrapping-paper/ http://www.latimes.com/test/mynews/sarahhatezcatz/la-hm-recyclingchristmas-html,0,875457.htmlstory http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/12/22/whatto-do-with-gift-wrappingboxes-recycle/ http://www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/fieldoperations/solidwasteunit/Documents/Holiday_Waste_Reduction_Tips_2011.pdf http://cuyahogaswd.org/en-US/greening-holidays.aspx http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4202039/ http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id-47701 WASTE WISE PRODUCTS INC.