December 5, 2003 News Releases
Released 12/03/03 and 12/04/03
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 12-04-03
ASK A SPECIALIST: DO YOU HAVE
TIPS FOR REDUCING HOLIDAY TRASH?
Americans throw away 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving
and New Year’s than they do at any other time of the year.
This translates into an extra 25 million tons of garbage sent
to landfills and incinerators.
It takes valuable resources to dispose of the additional waste,
and even more resources to make the materials in the first place.
For example, according to The Use Less Stuff Report, 2.65 billion
holiday cards are sold in the United States each year. That
is enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. If each
person sent one less card, 50,000 cubic yards of paper would
be saved per year.
Consider the following tips to reduce holiday waste and save
money.
• Choose a living Christmas tree. When the holidays are
over, plant it in your yard or donate it to a local school.
Another option is to purchase an artificial tree that can be
used each year
• Give movie or concert tickets, gift certificates or
make a donation to a local charity in someone’s name.
• Be creative when wrapping gifts. Look around the house
for unusual wrapping materials. Old baskets, children’s
artwork and scrap fabric work well and can be reused on other
occasions. Consider hiding children’s presents around
the house and leaving clues rather than wrapping the gifts.
• Buy rechargeable batteries for children’s toys
and home electronics. Forty percent of annual battery sales
occur during the holiday period. Consider giving batteries and
a recharger as part of the gift.
• Be a smart shopper. To avoid trips to the store, begin
your shopping on the phone or internet, then organize shopping
trips so that driving time is reduced. Bring your own shopping
bag or use one large bag for all purchases.
• When sending gifts by mail, package them with reused
boxes, bubble wrap or peanuts. Wrap boxes in brown paper grocery
bags for mailing.
• Use dishes and glassware for parties rather than buying
disposable paper goods. If your party is larger than your dish
and glassware supply, try renting these items.
• Cut the cards. Review and trim your holiday card list.
Consider those on your list who might prefer an electronic card
instead. Save the cards you receive and use them as gift tags,
decorations and wrapping material.
• Consider giving homemade baked goods or crafts as gifts.
Get the kids involved in making holiday cards, decorations and
ornaments instead of buying them.
• Remember what the holidays are really about. In the
midst of all the pressure to buy the right gifts, get things
mailed on time and prepare your house for guests, don’t
forget that giving and getting are the least important parts
of the season.
Visit http://extension.usu.edu/cooperative/aska/ to see other
Ask A Specialist columns.
Writer: Julene Reese, Utah State University Extension, 435-760-9302;
julener@ext.usu.edu. Direct Ask A Specialist column topics to:
webmaster@ext.usu.edu.
Dec. 4, 2003
Answer by: Kerry Case, Utah House Program Coordinator, Utah
State University Extension
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 12-03-03
CALLING ALL
KIDS AND EDUCATORS TO A VIDEO PREMIERE
LOGAN — Cache Valley kids, parents and teachers are
invited to the free premiere screening of an educational video
and interactive CD-ROM on archaeology, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
in the Utah State University Museum of Anthropology, Old Main
Rm. 252.
The 20-minute video, “Why it Rocks,” was created
by Utah State archaeologists and media experts, and was narrated
by students from Edith Bowen Laboratory School. The video explains
archaeological terms and how archaeologists excavate and interpret
an archaeological site.
The CD-ROM complements the video by providing opportunities
for kids to learn about archaeological terms interactively.
Children in second through sixth grade and their parents are
urged to attend and enjoy the video as well as refreshments.
Teachers are especially urged to attend the screening to assess
the video for possible classroom use.
For more information contact Bonnie Pitblado, director of the
Utah State University Museum of Anthropology, at (435) 797-7545.
Date: December 3, 2003
Contact: Idania Mirabal, (435) 797-0698
Writer: Tracey Fox, (435) 797-1350
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