By Brandon Hearn

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans generate over 25% more waste.

With the large quantity of holiday cards, wrapping paper, trees, lights and ornaments in addition to all the packaging and boxes, it is no wonder that this is the most wasteful, albeit wonderful, time of year.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Johnson County Department of Health and Environment wants to wish you a “Happy Holidays” and show you a few ways you can help the environment during the holidays and year-round.

Compost your food waste: Not sure what to do with the turkey scraps or cranberry sauce … reduce your food waste by composting your food scraps and waste.

Backyard composting is a wonderful option but doesn’t work for everyone.

There are a few options in Johnson County. Both Compost Collective KC (compostcollectivekc.com) and KC Can Compost (kccancompost.com) have a range of options including drop-off bin swaps or curbside collection from your house or business.

Olathe offers food waste collection for its residents at the city’s Composting Facility, 1100 N. Hedge Lane. Residents are encouraged to bring in their food waste and put it into one of the collection bins. The food waste is then processed into compost by Missouri Organic Recycling.

Greeting cards & wrapping paper: Plain greeting cards and plain wrapping paper as well as paper gift bags that can’t be reused can all go in your recycle bin. Cards and wrapping paper with glitter, metallic pieces or plastic should either be reused or go in your trash.

Holiday lights: You no longer need to throw away your broken holiday lights. Starting in December , there will be several locations accepting holiday lights for recycling.

The Overland Park Recycling Center will accept them in December and January. The Mission Sustainability Commission will be collecting lights at the Sylvester Powell Community Center and Mack’ s True Value Hardware, dates may vary. MRC Electronic Recycling will take them year-round. Find out more information at recyclespot.org.

Trees: Keep your Christmas tree out of the landfill. Natural trees are collected in several places around Johnson County and will find a second home as a fish habitat or mulch for a park. Overland Park will also be accepting natural trees for recycling usually starting in December, locations and dates will be posted on the city’s website: opkansas.org/events/holiday-tree-recycling. Check with your city to find a convenient park to recycle your tree.

Recycling/sustainability program: Johnson County Government offers a free consulting program that can help you start a recycling, waste reduction or sustainability program. We will work with any business, school, church or senior living facility in Johnson County.

Remember to reduce, reuse and then recycle to help our planet during the holiday season and all year long.

If you have any questions, contact me at 913-715-6936 or brandon.hearn@jocogov.org or follow us on Facebook or Instagram at Johnson County Recycles.

Brandon Hearn is environmental health specialist at the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.