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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 Aug 2008
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> bubble2 720 Posts
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Original Poster
mushroomcap
12-05-2010 at 04:09 PM.
12-05-2010 at 04:09 PM.
For anyone who might like to add a resuable bag to a present (and as really nice wrapping, there is a sale on envirosax right now -6 bags for $28 [brightandbold.com] with free shipping. Or, just by itself as a nice little gift for someone.

Pretty good because they are super super handy and cute. Roll up tiny, but large and very strong - for any shopping, groceries, etc. They easily fit in a purse, pocket, glovebox - I love love love mine, and really like using less plastic bags. (Of course, I save any plastic bags and use them as small trashcan liners, but they always seem to pile up and there were far too many, so this helps reduce the pile.)
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Joined Jul 2004
Magically Delicious
> bubble2 10,796 Posts
659 Reputation
SlicKitty
12-05-2010 at 06:22 PM.
12-05-2010 at 06:22 PM.
Quote from mushroomcap :
One thing I do for instance... I heard in a speech once that clothes dryers account for something like 40% of household energy, that they are extremely wasteful - most other countries I've been to don't even have clothes dryers, at most they have spinners (that spins excess water out), and hang them to dry - outside in nice weather, inside on racks or on the furnaces in cold weather.
I read somewhere that detergent companies significantly over-estimate the amount of detergent required to clean your clothes and dishes and that you can get the same clean with a fraction of the detergent.

"They" say that you can use about 75% less and still get the same clean.

One site said the detergent isn't even necessary, but most people who'd commented said they weren't quite ready to go that far. Many said they'd tried taking the 50-75% less route and found it effective.
Reply
Joined Jul 2005
Scarydevil Monastery
> bubble2 26,675 Posts
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veritablequandary
12-05-2010 at 06:40 PM.
12-05-2010 at 06:40 PM.
Inspired by this thread and laziness, I wrapped my white elephant gift for my company Christmas party in brown paper from an Amazon package! Whee
Reply
Joined May 2006
Suspected porn star
> bubble2 11,996 Posts
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ForeverDecember
12-05-2010 at 06:47 PM.
12-05-2010 at 06:47 PM.
I already bought wrapping paper. Two rolls. Plus I have one left over from last year. Bad me. Whip
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Joined Sep 2008
L1: Learner
> bubble2 11 Posts
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NanaD
12-05-2010 at 06:55 PM.
12-05-2010 at 06:55 PM.
Quote from mushroomcap :
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]

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?
Thanks, This is what I am going to do this year.
Reply
Joined Aug 2008
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 720 Posts
314 Reputation
Original Poster
mushroomcap
12-05-2010 at 08:03 PM.
12-05-2010 at 08:03 PM.
Quote from SlicKitty :
I read somewhere that detergent companies significantly over-estimate the amount of detergent required to clean your clothes and dishes and that you can get the same clean with a fraction of the detergent.

"They" say that you can use about 75% less and still get the same clean.

One site said the detergent isn't even necessary, but most people who'd commented said they weren't quite ready to go that far. Many said they'd tried taking the 50-75% less route and found it effective.
Ah nice... I've heard that too actually... been trying to use less since I heard it. I also read that you do NOT want the washer to be sudsy - if that's the case, you are using way too much detergent - which can also be bad for your clothes and skin.
Next thing I need to do is also find a better detergent - hopefully something more natural.

Quote from veritableqndry :
Inspired by this thread and laziness, I wrapped my white elephant gift for my company Christmas party in brown paper from an Amazon package! Whee
Alright! laugh out loud I use that brown paper from the Amazon package too. Hey - it's classic wrapping! Smilie

Quote from ForeverDcember :
I already bought wrapping paper. Two rolls. Plus I have one left over from last year. Bad me. Whip
Hmmm can you still return them?Wink Use sparingly? Save for people you feel you have to go fancy for, and use newspaper/other stuff for close people who won't mind?
Just throwing out ideas.

Quote from NanaD :
Thanks, This is what I am going to do this year.
You are welcome - so glad to hear it!hug
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Joined Aug 2008
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> bubble2 720 Posts
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Original Poster
mushroomcap
12-07-2010 at 10:01 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:01 AM.
Some more reusable bags:

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]
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
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Me
12-07-2010 at 10:18 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:18 AM.
I'm gonna leave my engine running to warm it up in the morning.



I'm gonna throw away paper instead of recycling



then I'm gonna go hunt an endangered dolphin and eat it

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Joined May 2007
♥ Love my puppies!
> bubble2 6,815 Posts
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BrgnHntr
12-07-2010 at 10:18 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:18 AM.
I'm not sure that this is all true. I just got the city newsletter here and it said that wrapping paper is recyclable here, with the exception of the foil kind.
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Joined Jul 2004
Magically Delicious
> bubble2 10,796 Posts
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SlicKitty
12-07-2010 at 10:21 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:21 AM.
Quote from Me :

then I'm gonna go hunt an endangered dolphin and eat it
Videotape that, will ya? I'd love to see a video of you hunting a dolphin.
Reply
Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
12-07-2010 at 10:22 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:22 AM.
Quote from SlicKitty :
Videotape that, will ya? I'd love to see a video of you hunting a dolphin.
will you buy my ticket to Sea World?
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Joined Jul 2004
Magically Delicious
> bubble2 10,796 Posts
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SlicKitty
12-07-2010 at 10:28 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:28 AM.
Quote from Me :
will you buy my ticket to Sea World?

You hunt dolphins in Sea World? Isn't that cheating a little?
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
12-07-2010 at 10:30 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:30 AM.
Quote from SlicKitty :
You hunt dolphins in Sea World? Isn't that cheating a little?
what can I say? I'm a nature lover. I hunt for food, not sport Dontknow
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Joined Aug 2008
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 720 Posts
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Original Poster
mushroomcap
12-07-2010 at 10:47 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:47 AM.
Another deal on evirosax bags at the moment, for anyone interested there too...

6 bags for $25. [brightandbold.com]

Alright ME - let's see a good, on topic suggestion on earth-friendly living. You can do it!!!
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
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Me
12-07-2010 at 10:49 AM.
12-07-2010 at 10:49 AM.
I think OP has me on ignore Sadwalk
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