On a more serious note
WAYS TO TRIM
YOUR HOLIDAY WASTELINE

Are you a waste-wise warrior or merely a waste-wise wannabe? Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week.


THE YULETIDE PARTY GUIDE

‘Tis the season of parties and festivities, food and fun. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s we like nothing more than to eat, drink and be merry, so we need successful strategies to cut down on the waste we create from our amplified entertaining.

[ 1 ] Turn down the heat before the guests arrive. You’ll save energy while the extra body heat of your guests will warm up the room.
[ 2 ] For formal affairs, consider renting seldom worn party clothes or buying them from consignment shops.
[ 3 ] You can also rent dishes and glassware, making your party more elegant and eliminating the need to buy special holiday china.
[ 4 ] Walk to neighborhood parties, or carpool (with a designated driver!) with friends if it’s too far to walk.
[ 5 ] After the party, don’t throw away the leftovers! Put them in plastic containers or bags and send them home with guests, or donate to food banks.
[ 6 ] Plan meals wisely and practice portion control to minimize waste in the first place:

FOOD/DRINK PORTION PER PERSON
Eggnog 1/2 cup
Turkey 12-14 pounds (up to 10 people)
Stuffing 1/4 pound
Sweet Potato Casserole 1/4 pound
Green Beans 1/4 pound
Cranberry relish 3 tablespoons
Pumpkin Pie 1/8 of a 9" pie


Did you know...at least 28 billion pounds of edible food are wasted each year – or over 100 pounds per person. Putting one less cookie on Santa’s plate will reduce his snacking by about 2 million pounds.

LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION

[ 7 ] Get outdoor light strands that are wired in parallel. These have separate circuitry so that if one bulb blows out the rest will keep shining; all you have to do is replace the bulb. Those strands sold with series wiring stand or fall together, making it almost impossible to find and replace a single blown-out bulb.
[ 8 ] Bring your own camera instead of using disposable cameras to capture holiday memories.
[ 9 ] Faster film speeds, such as 400 or 800, reduce the use of flash and extend battery life.

Did you know...by purchasing rolls of 36 instead of 12 exposures, you’ll reduce waste by 67%, saving about $4, or 40% in cost?

Just a few ideas to save you time and money!!! As the holidays approch don't loose sight of the real meaning of the holidays. And remember you cn't find it in the mall.

Your friends,
The K-C's