Holidays a perfect time to recycle.

Byline: RECYCLING By Peter Chism For The Register-Guard

As we make our way through the holiday season attending parties, socializing with co-workers and visiting friends and loved ones, try to keep something in mind: garbage generation in our country increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.

Encourage guests and members of your household to practice the three "Rs," - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (don't forget to compost) - because as a nation we're throwing away 5 billion extra pounds of waste this time of year. During the holidays, think "Less is Best" when shopping and give a gift to the landfill by not giving it anything at all.

Here are some "Less is Best" tips on reducing waste during the holiday:

Shopping tips

Buy waste-free gifts. Give an experience such as tickets to a sporting event, a gift certificate for a massage, coupons for cooking a meal, music lessons, language lessons, a golf lesson, a trip to the nearest state park, tickets to a play, or a membership to a gym or a ski pass.

Rechargeable batteries, compact florescent lights, and reusable lunch kits can all save money as well as resources.

Second-hand or antique shops are great places to do holiday shopping.

When shopping, bring your own reusable tote bag and/or consolidate items in one bag.

Choose products that are minimally packaged. Let the store know you are shopping to avoid waste.

E-shopping tips

Request minimal packaging in your order.

Save bubble wrap and packaging peanuts for reuse. Ask a local postal agency or business if they want to reuse your packaging materials.

Wrapping

Wrap a gift in a gift, such as a scarf, cloth napkins, or a tablecloth.

Use decorated gift boxes, festive fabrics pieces, old maps, posters or bags that can be reused.

If you buy gift-wrap, look for high post-consumer content.

Save bows, ribbons and paper to reuse next year.

Greeting card tips

Buy holiday greeting cards made from 100 percent post-consumer content.

Use holiday cards to make gift tags, gift boxes or more greeting cards.

Holiday cards can be reused by mailing them to:

St. Jude's Ranch for Children

100 St. Jude's St.

Boulder City, NV 89005-1618

Visit the St. Jude's Ranch Web site at: http:// stjudesranch.org/Content

/cardprogram.asp

Holiday decorating tips

Avoid buying disposable decorations.

Reuse holiday decorations from year to year.

Use natural materials such as pine cones, dried flowers, berries or popcorn.

Volunteering

Volunteerism enhances self-esteem and helps us learn new skills and make new friends. Volunteer activities help build character and teach social responsibility, greater empathy and compassion. Teach that who you are is more important than what you have.

Volunteer Coupons are also a great way to show someone you care.

Coupon ideas include: walking the dog each day for a period of time, cooking meals, help with shopping and clean up, housecleaning, shoveling, lawn mowing, make a book of family recipes, or putting together a scrapbook or family tree.

This holiday, use your imagination to show someone you care. When we come together to share activities and experiences with one another, we give the true gift of the holidays, memories that will last a lifetime.

This column is provided by Lane County Recycling.