Winter Edition

It's Holiday Season.
Don't Let Your Food Go to Waste!

American households toss out 25 percent of the food and drink they buy, adding up to more than $130 every month, and that number rises even higher during the holidays. When food is wasted, so is all the energy, fuel, water and cash that's used to get that food into our kitchens. Uneaten food accounts for 23 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S. – a potent climate change contributor. So this season, let's keep our money in our pocket and make a difference when it comes to preventing food waste.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Control Portions: Be realistic about how much food you really need to buy and cook. What leftovers did you have in the past? Try serving your big holiday meal on smaller plates to encourage taking less food at one time. Your guests can always go back for seconds!

Photo from the panini recipe to the left.

Store It Right: While shopping pre-holiday, check out how best to store produce items so they stay fresh until you start cooking for guests. Check out this produce storage guide. Store your own leftovers in clear containers so you don't forget what's inside. If they won't get eaten right away, use your freezer.

Compost those Pesky Peels: Make sure unavoidable food waste like potato peels, turkey bones or squash skins end up in your curbside compost bin. Learn more.

Love your Leftovers: If you have guests over for the holidays, ask them to bring reusable storage containers so you can send them home with leftovers. Make a post-holiday plan for eating leftover food, such as this recipe for loaded turkey paninis in addition to nine more leftover recipes.

For more information, including more recipes to help prevent food waste at home, visit www.recyclefood.com.

Recycle your electronics

The holidays often bring new gadgets into the house. Don't let your old electronics gather dust in the corner, make sure to recycle them at a Take it Back Network location. Even better, E-Cycle Washington locations allow you to recycle computers, monitors, TVs and e-readers for free.

Holiday Waste – can you recycle it?

YES		NO
Styrofoam: Check King County's What Do I Do With…? website for locations.		Clamshell and preformed packaging: This goes in the garbage.
Wrapping Paper: Yes. Most wrapping paper can be recycled in your home recycling bin.		Bows and metallic wrapping paper: Garbage or save for reuse next year.
Trees: Check with King County and with your hauler for details.		Tissue Paper: Garbage or save for reuse next year.

Announcements:

The Household Hazardous Wastemobile is in Auburn every weekend except 12/27& 12/28. Find the Wastemobile at the Outlet Collection (formerly SuperMall), 1101 Outlet Collection Dr SW. Check here for more details.

The King County Green Holidays program website has been updated with festive new resources for green decorating, entertaining, gift giving and gift wrapping!

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