Holiday Lights: You no longer have to throw away your broken and unusable holiday lights, thanks to Southeast Enterprises, who recycled more than 60,000 pounds of holiday lights last year alone. Some locations will accept lights through January 11th; others have an earlier cut-off date. However, Southeast Enterprises’ Kansas City location will accept lights year round. To find a location nearest to you go to www.southeastenterprises.org/kcrecyclelights.

Wrapping Paper: Each year Americans throw away enough wrapping paper to cover 5,787 football fields. Unfortunately most wrapping paper can't be recycled, including all paper that is shiny or metallic looking; the exception being brown parchment paper.  Using a reusable bag, an old magazine, or newspaper instead can be a great alternative to non-recyclable wrapping paper. If you do buy wrapping paper, buy rolls made from recycled paper.

Trees - Real and Fake: Keep your Christmas tree out of the landfill. An artificial tree that it is no longer usable can be recycled as electronic waste at several locations in the KC metro area. 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. All decorations should be removed.

Johnson County Park and Recreation locations- December 26th through January 31st

• Theatre in the Park at Shawnee Mission Park, 7710 Renner Rd
• ​Heritage Park marina parking lot, 16050 Pflumm Rd
• Kill Creek Park marina parking lot north side, 11670 Homestead Lane
• Big Bull Creek Park, 20425 Sunflower Rd

Overland Park locations- December 26th through January 6th

• Young's Park, 7701 Antioch
• Indian Creek Recreation Center, 10308 Marty
• Quivira Park, 11901 Quivira
• Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, 8909 W. 179th Street

In celebration of America Recycles Day, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, Downtown Overland Park, ProShred, and Secure e-Cycle will be hosting an electronics recycling and paper shredding event on Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Patrons can drop off “anything with a cord” to be properly recycled, as well as paper that will be securely shredded. All electronic items are free except TVs ($20 each) and CRT monitors ($15 each).

The event will be held in the parking lot near the Overland Park Farmers’ Market pavilion – enter and exit from Marty Street, between 79th and 80th Street. As a courtesy, Johnson County staff and volunteers will be there to unload your vehicle.

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment's Mission immunization clinic (6000 Lamar Ave.) will be closed Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. If you need an immunization, please visit our clinic in Olathe (11875 S. Sunset Drive).