In season of giving, practice of `Less is Best' still applies.

Byline: Recycling by Pete Chism For The Register-Guard

THE SEASON OF peace and goodwill to all has arrived. Among all of our concerns with the world today, garbage probably isn't on the top of your list.

However, in a country that holds 5 percent of the world's population and consumes 25 percent of its resources, material consumption is something we all should be aware of.

Garbage generation in our country increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. That's 5 billion extra pounds of waste per year. This holiday season, the `Less is Best' campaign is coming to town to remind us that less garbage generation and less material consumption is best for the community, best for the environment and best for the overall health of the world.

Here are some tips on reducing waste during the holiday and making your life a little easier.

Shopping tips

Purchase waste-free gifts. Give an experience such as tickets to a sporting event, a gift certificate for a massage, coupons for cooking a meal.

Rechargeable batteries, florescent light bulbs, reusable lunch kits all can save money as well as resources.

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

Make a list and stick to it. Don't succumb to impulse purchases.

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.

After making your order, take your name off the company's mailing list and insist they do not release your contact info.

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

Wrapping tips

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

Use decorated gift boxes or bags that can be reused. Festive fabrics, old maps or posters are other waste-free alternatives.

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 postcard greetings to save postage, envelopes and excess paper.

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

Holiday decoration tips

Avoid buying disposable decorations.

Reuse holiday decorations from year to year.

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

Post-holiday tips

Recycle Christmas trees. Check the newspaper for scout troops and nonprofits that pick up trees for donations or have special site collections.

Compost your kitchen fruit and vegetable food scraps from holiday dinners and parties.

Donate used holiday cards. Look for the green bin at the following locations between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3. The cards will be collected and mailed to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. The holiday art from the cards is reused and glued onto new blank cards. The 'new' recycled cards then are sold to raise funds to support St. Jude's programs for abused, neglected and abandoned children.

The drop sites include: Citizens Building (second floor, employee break room); Cottage Grove Community Hospital (main lobby); Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce (main lobby); McKenzie-Willamette Hospital (G Street and emergency room lobbies); Peace Harbor Hospital and Primary Care Clinic (main lobbies); Sacred Heart Medical Center (cafeteria); SELCO Credit Union branches (main lobbies); Springfield Chamber of Commerce (main lobby); and the Lane County Public Service Building (lobby).

This column is provided by Lane County Recycling.