Let's talk turkey: Waste doesn't have to be a part of a meaningful holiday season

In my job, I run across many screaming statistics about solid waste, pollution, and climate change that sometimes make me stop and say, “Yikes.”

Just in time for the holidays, I ran across these statistics from the nonprofit ReFED regarding Thanksgiving food waste.

• Last year, ReFED estimated that Americans would waste 312 million pounds of food during Thanksgiving. This figure would have produced an amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to driving a car 73,109 times around the Earth’s equator.

• Per ReFED, $2.08 worth of food was wasted per person during the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday, which was more than $20 per 10-person dinner.

Okay, let’s talk turkey: we’ve got to do better for the planet and our wallets! This year, I encourage you to do the holidays differently and join Waste Wise Lane County for its third “Simplify the Holidays” campaign.

The campaign, which started in 2022, is produced by the Center for Biological Diversity and has been adopted by the County again. “Simply the Holidays” encourages residents and businesses to reimagine how they view and participate in the holiday season to inspire joy while curbing waste.

The campaign runs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day and includes earth-friendly gift ideas and a holiday leftovers recipe contest.

Recipes can be submitted on the County’s new website at wastewiselane.org/holiday, where they will also be published. Those who share recipes will be automatically entered into a prize drawing, with contest winners announced on Jan. 9.

Prizes include Lion & Owl and BRING gift certificates, free enrollment in Oregon State University Extension Master Food Preserver workshops, and a collection of sustainable products from Main Street Market.

Follow the campaign on Waste Wise Lane County’s social media pages @WasteWiseLaneCounty on Facebook and Instagram.

Electronics Recycling Competition

Good news: There is still time to contact your student’s school to inform their principals about the Electronics Recycling Competition, which runs from Jan. 7 to March 20, 2025.

Pass on the competition registration form by Dec. 13 to your student’s principal by visiting http://www.wastewiselane.org/erc.

During the competition, schools will collect unwanted, unused, or broken electronics from parents, students, and school staff. Schools that recycle the most e-waste can win grants of up to $500, a NextStep Reuse Store computer gift certificate, and a recognition award! Last year, 18 Lane County schools collected 13,269 pounds.

If you have or know students, let their principals know today!

Waste Wise Tip: Sign up for our newsletter!

Kelly Bell, Lane County Master Recycler Program Coordinator, says food leftovers can be transformed into something delicious! Scan the code to watch a short video and subscribe to Waste Wise Lane County’s Instagram channel for Kelly’s monthly tips at http://www.instagram.com/wastewiselanecounty.

Waste Wise Lane County, a part of the Lane County Waste Management Division, seeks to empower residents, businesses, and schools with resources to reduce waste and live sustainably. Sign up for the Waste Wise newsletter at lanecountyor.gov/wastewise