With the holidays just around the corner, there are many creative ideas to save money and reduce waste by making cards and decorations from repurposed or reusable materials. Here are just a few ideas:
- Cut up last year’s holiday cards and use them as gift tags.
- Cover an old incandescent light bulb with fabric, paint or glitter to use as an ornament.
- Cut snowflakes from used paper to hang in your windows.
A quick Internet search will turn up dozens of ideas with detailed instructions on how to make eco-friendly, 
inexpensive, homemade decorations. As an added bonus, if made out of durable materials such as cloth, wood or metal, homemade decorations will last a long time.
A wreath made from used coffee sleeves and a Christmas tree made of old newspapers
For other sustainable holiday decorating ideas, see the Sustainability Blog, and for more information on how to reduce, reuse and recycle year-round, visit the ZeroWaste site. ZeroWaste is a program of Campus Services and Business Operations.
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Do you have any green tips to share? E-mail sustainability@yorku.ca and your idea could be featured in a Green Tip of the Week.