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Alternatives to wrapping paper.

720 314 November 17, 2010 at 02:03 PM in Chat (14) elf Cosmetics
Posted this last year and too old to bump, but wanted to remind people to try and think of the earth this holiday season. I added a few more things in here, some more inexpensive and less wasteful alternatives to wrapping bounce

From an article: "Wrapping paper, from an ecological point of view, is a pretty worthless use of trees."

"In the U.S., an additional 5 million tons of waste is generated during the holidays. Four million tons of this is wrapping paper and shopping bags."

I've always disliked using wrapping paper... for many years now, I've wrapped gifts in the comics, newspaper, grocery store brown paper bags, magazines, reused giftwrap I've taken from others, or reusable gift bags. I find a way to make it still look attractive, and anyway - it gets ripped off in a few seconds!

Why use alternatives? Incredibly wasteful. My mom is a teacher and on a school trip they visited a dump.. they were told that wrapping paper is one of the most wasteful and plentiful things they see in a dump - and VERY slow to decompose. It can often be difficult to find a location to recycle your wrapping paper because of the materials are typically non-recyclable.

"People in the trash business will tell you: Wrapping paper is just solid waste with a pretty face."

For those of you who need pretty wrapping... how about trying this:
Use a very pretty envirosax reusable bag - which then also becomes part of of the gift!:

This video and blog [envirosax.com] inspired me to create this post:

Wrap your presents in an envirosax reusable bag [youtube.com]


Here is a thread for envirosax bags

(FYI I personally LOVE my envirosax bags... they're tiny, I keep 2 in my bag and use them for groceries, department store purchases or an extra bag. They're VERY pretty and I get tons of compliments. So they make a very nice gift, in addition to very pretty, environmental wrapping).

Or wayy cheaper, these ELF bags. [eyeslipsface.com]

Envirosax cute kid's bags for $3 at Target (when added to another order with free shipping over $50, plus 20% off $75)

Red one [target.com]

Pink one [target.com]

Just suggestions - there are many very attractive reusable bags at all kinds of stores one can use. I just saw some really pretty ones at homegoods.


Another article about wasteful wrapping paper. [earth911.com]

Please remember this holiday season: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLESmilie

Anyone else have more earth-friendly ways to wrap?

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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
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Maleficent
11-21-2010 at 09:47 PM.
11-21-2010 at 09:47 PM.
Quote from mushroomcap :
Brown paper (from grocery bags, inside out), can look quite elegant with a bow. Or if like being artsy or have kids who do, decorate with a marker.

Comics - start saving in August then! It's a few sheets a week, doesn't take up much spaceWink

Wrapping paper isn't so pretty when there is 4 millions tons of it every year getting added to a landfill!

If you want to talk about being practical - just use regular newspaper - save money, save the earth, stop filling up landfills with stuff that does not decompose easily and is ripped open in a few secondsSmilie

Hope you saw the post above about the dangers of burning giftwrap in the fireplace too - seems like there are a lot of warnings against it, seems dangerous.
Yeah, sorry, it's just not worth the effort to me.

And yeah, I read the NPR link - they said if you use hallmark wrapping paper, you're probably okay, and at the bottom, the guy from the Advanced Chemical Safety in San Diego wasn't too concerned about it, so neither am I. laugh out loud
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Joined Feb 2010
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beanqueen
11-21-2010 at 09:55 PM.
11-21-2010 at 09:55 PM.
My dad absolutely loooooves to wrap presents in the Sunday comics...it's like his trademark...which I think is awesome!
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Joined Aug 2008
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Original Poster
mushroomcap
11-22-2010 at 08:56 AM.
11-22-2010 at 08:56 AM.
Quote from Maleficent :
Yeah, sorry, it's just not worth the effort to me.

And yeah, I read the NPR link - they said if you use hallmark wrapping paper, you're probably okay, and at the bottom, the guy from the Advanced Chemical Safety in San Diego wasn't too concerned about it, so neither am I. laugh out loud
It's not worth the small effort of just not using giftwrap to try not to destroy the planet and reduce the 4 million US yearly tons of holiday trash each year?
Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)
Well, you are the "Mistress of all Evil".

PS. If you read the fire department's warning, that is not just about the toxic inhalation but the embers that come from giftwrap burning that cause roof and attic fires.

Quote from beanqueen :
My dad absolutely loooooves to wrap presents in the Sunday comics...it's like his trademark...which I think is awesome!
Oh good! Have you inherited the wise habit?Wink
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Joined Feb 2010
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beanqueen
11-22-2010 at 08:58 AM.
11-22-2010 at 08:58 AM.
Quote from mushroomcap :
It's not worth the small effort of just not using giftwrap to try not to destroy the planet and reduce the 4 million US yearly tons of holiday trash each year?
Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)
Well, you are the "Mistress of all Evil".

PS. If you read the fire department's warning, that is not just about the toxic inhalation but the embers that come from giftwrap burning that cause roof and attic fires.

Oh good! Have you inherited the wise habit?Wink
I do sometimes...and other times I use whatever my mom has in the basement...I'm not complete no wrapping paper, but I don't go out and buy it...I'm too lazy, if it's there I use it, if not then it's newspaper or tissue paper and I do bags a LOT, just because it's really easy.
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
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Me
11-22-2010 at 09:07 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:07 AM.
I'm wrapping my gifts with endangered animal fur and dolphins
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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
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Maleficent
11-22-2010 at 09:10 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:10 AM.
Quote from mushroomcap :
It's not worth the small effort of just not using giftwrap to try not to destroy the planet and reduce the 4 million US yearly tons of holiday trash each year?
Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)
Well, you are the "Mistress of all Evil".

PS. If you read the fire department's warning, that is not just about the toxic inhalation but the embers that come from giftwrap burning that cause roof and attic fires.
Because I'm not willing to use your ridiculous methods for "alternative" gift wrapping, and I use Christmas wrapping paper like 200 million+ other Americans, that makes me "evil?" laugh out loud

Are you also one of those people that gets all whiny and bitchy when people have a real turkey at their holiday dinner instead of tofurkey, too? LMAO

Quote from Me :
I'm wrapping my gifts with endangered animal fur and dolphins
Rofl2
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Last edited by Maleficent November 22, 2010 at 09:11 AM.
Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
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Me
11-22-2010 at 09:13 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:13 AM.
Quote from Maleficent :
that makes me "evil?" laugh out loud
no... you're only "Mistress of some Evil"

your body of work isn't there yet.
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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
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Maleficent
11-22-2010 at 09:15 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:15 AM.
Quote from Me :
no... you're only "Mistress of some Evil"

your body of work isn't there yet.
Well hell, if using wrapping paper gets me part of the way there, then call the police! Because most of my holiday shopping is done online, and you know what that means - TONS of wasted cardboard boxes and plastic bubbles! Whee
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Original Poster
mushroomcap
11-22-2010 at 09:17 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:17 AM.
Quote from Maleficent :
Because I'm not willing to use your ridiculous methods for "alternative" gift wrapping, and I use Christmas wrapping paper like 200 million+ other Americans, that makes me "evil?" laugh out loud

Are you also one of those people that gets all whiny and bitchy when people have a real turkey at their holiday dinner instead of tofurkey, too? LMAO



Rofl2
It's your byline under your username? Did you forget?

No need to insult what environment-conscious people do because it's too much effort for you.

200+million Americans do a lot of things that are pretty wasteful or harmful - the fact that a lot of people are doing it only makes it much much worse in the long run.
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
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Me
11-22-2010 at 09:17 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:17 AM.
Quote from Maleficent :
TONS of wasted cardboard boxes and plastic bubbles! Whee
that's for suckers.

I use malnourished and underpaid children from third world countries to deliver my packages.

Quote from mushroomcap :
200+million Americans do a lot of things that are pretty wasteful or harmful
see, that's just typical. Us 100-million Americans have to carry the slack Mad
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Last edited by Me November 22, 2010 at 09:19 AM.
Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
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Maleficent
11-22-2010 at 09:22 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:22 AM.
Quote from mushroomcap :
It's your byline under your username? Did you forget?

No need to insult what environment-conscious people do because it's too much effort for you.

200+million Americans do a lot of things that are pretty wasteful or harmful - the fact that a lot of people are doing it only makes it much much worse in the long run.
I'm very well aware - it's one of her best lines in the movie. And it's just that - a MOVIE. Wink

Insult? laugh out loud Oh yeah, as you sit there and insinuate I'm a bad person because I do things differently than you? LMAO

Talk about the pot callin' the kettle black! Roll



You should take your proselytizing to the podium, dude. Thumbup

Quote from Me :
that's for suckers.

I use malnourished and underpaid children from third world countries to delivery my packages.
laugh out loud
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Last edited by Maleficent November 22, 2010 at 09:30 AM.
Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
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Me
11-22-2010 at 09:25 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:25 AM.
Quote from Maleficent :
You should take your prosthelytizing to the podium, dude. Thumbup
they need fake limbs in the podium? Confused
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Joined Jul 2004
Magically Delicious
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SlicKitty
11-22-2010 at 09:26 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:26 AM.
On a serious note, this thread actually made me pick up one of the newspapers at the brewery where we bought my father-in-law's gift of beer, this season.

I'm going to wrap his beer in it. He always knows it's beer anyway, and this time, it'll say "Brewery Fresh" and have some other cute stuff. The newspaper would just have gone to waste anyway. It was almost past its date.
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Joined Aug 2008
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Original Poster
mushroomcap
11-22-2010 at 09:29 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:29 AM.
Quote from SlicKitty :
On a serious note, this thread actually made me pick up one of the newspapers at the brewery where we bought my father-in-law's gift of beer, this season.

I'm going to wrap his beer in it. He always knows it's beer anyway, and this time, it'll say "Brewery Fresh" and have some other cute stuff. The newspaper would just have gone to waste anyway. It was almost past its date.
Sounds perfect!

Thanks for posting! Glad to know the thread is makes a positive different to someone hug
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rayzac | Staff
11-22-2010 at 09:30 AM.
11-22-2010 at 09:30 AM.
I actually order gift wrap online and always choose the gift option so it comes wrapped.
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