Sponsored Post – from Texas Disposal Systems
During the holiday season, waste generation soars as items like wrapping paper, ribbons, gift packaging, and excess holiday food waste items are discarded and sent to the landfill. The Environmental Protection Agency reports 25 million extra tons of waste are created during the holidays, which is close to the same amount of food waste Americans produce in an entire year. Knowing 80 percent of holiday waste can actually be recycled, it’s crucial for members of the community to integrate sustainability into their annual traditions and, as a pioneer in the resource management industry, Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) is eager to offer the gift of eco-friendly solutions.
TDS has always been deeply invested in environmental preservation and dedicated to being more than the typical waste pickup provider. For the third holiday season in a row, TDS will partner with Wreaths Across America, a non-profit organization invested in honoring and remembering the sacrifice and service of our veterans. On December 15th Austin-area volunteers will honor Texas heroes by placing more than 2,000 wreaths at the Texas State Cemetery. Local dignitaries will join Texas Governor Greg Abbott at the Wreaths Across America ceremony, which features a special focus on the placement of seven ceremonial wreaths by prominent military leaders, each one honoring a branch of the United States Military, as well as those who were POW/MIA.
In an effort to make the event environmentally-friendly, TDS will once again donate their time and services by picking up and recycling the wreath boxes and composting the wreaths at the end of the holiday season. As the only fully integrated waste provider in Central Texas, TDS can easily process these items, which has allowed more than 2,000 pounds of cardboard and more than sixteen cubic yards of mulch created from the wreaths to be diverted from the landfill in recent years. Central Texas residents are encouraged to participate in the wreath staging event on Friday, December 14th, from 10am to noon, attend the Wreaths Across America ceremony on Saturday December 15th from 11am. to 1pm. and/or support wreath retirement on Friday, December 28th from 10am to noon.
Additionally, TDS will offer Christmas tree and organic decoration recycling free of charge throughout Austin, San Antonio, and Victoria. Beginning December 26th and going through January 31st, TDS will be accepting clean, unflocked (free of artificial snow) trees, holly, pumpkins and other ornament-free living decorations at its Christmas tree collection sites. TDS will also be providing curbside pickup for certain neighborhoods in cities with TDS Green Waste services to make it easier for area residents to recycle what’s left of their holiday cheer. For specific questions regarding your area’s service, contact (800) 375-8375.
To help maximize your sustainability efforts this holiday season, here is a list of items TDS will and will not accept for recycling during the holiday season – remember to check it twice!:
Items Texas Disposal Systems Will Accept
- Unflocked Christmas trees
- Pumpkins
- Holly
- Other living holiday decorations
Items Texas Disposal Systems Will Not Accept
- Wrapping paper
- Cellophane
- Bows
- Plastic
- Bubble wrap
- Ornaments
To learn more about reducing landfill waste, visit www.texasdisposal.com.
Please note – editorials and sponsored posts are written by guest writers to inform and educate the community on a variety of different viewpoints, as well as to share information about local eco-friendly businesses and organizations. However, they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Austin EcoNetwork.
