CALGARY -- Despite the snow blanketing the city, Calgarians are being encouraged to have a green Christmas by making sure things like gift wrapping, boxes and holiday food scraps make it into the right coloured carts for collection.

As well, the city is reminding residents there will be no black, blue and green cart collection on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and New Year's Day (Jan. 1, 2020). If your cart collection normally falls on those days, it will be picked up two days earlier, on Dec. 23 and Dec. 30.

"Calgarians generally produce more waste over the holidays, but it doesn't have to always be this way," Sharon Howland, leader of program management with Waste and Recycling Services, said in a release.

"Instead, celebrate with new holiday traditions that can help reduce and reuse all the wrapping paper, bubble wrap and plastic bags."

Items that should go in the blue bin (recycling) include:

  • Wrapping paper and tissue paper.
  • Cardboard boxes, gift boxes, shoe and shipping boxes — flatten your boxes to make extra room in your blue cart.
  • Paper gift bags — remove handles before recycling.
  • Holiday cards and envelopes.
  • Moulded plastic packaging with recycling symbol #1-7 —commonly found with electronics and kids toys.
  • Bubble wrap — bundle with other stretchy plastic bags and tie the handles closed.
  • Cookie and chocolate tins — eat the cookies and chocolates first.

Items that should go in your green bin (organic waste) include:

  • Turkey carcasses and other bones.
  • Pastries, cookies, cakes and muffins.
  • Plate scrapings and vegetable scraps.
  • All food-soiled paper, including napkins, paper plates, coffee filters, baking paper and liners.
  • Cooking oil, lard, shortening, jam, butter, sauces, grease, dips, salad dressing, mayonnaise and gravy.

You can also use the green cart to recycle your Christmas tree.

"After removing all lights, ornaments, tinsel and string, follow the same steps as you would for branches from your yard," said a city release.

"Cut your tree into pieces (no more than four feet long), put them into your green cart and make sure the lid can close. If your green cart is full, fill paper yard waste bags and roll closed. Set yard waste bags at least one foot from the side of your green cart.

"Trees that are not prepared this way will not be collected."

There will be a number of temporary drop-off locactions across the city from Dec. 26 to Feb. 2, 2020

"Do not wrap, tie or bag your tree, and remember to remove tree stands and all lights, ornaments, tinsel and string," said a release.

A full list of drop-off locations is available online.

Items that should go in the black cart (waste) include:

  • Non-recyclable gift wrap like cellophane, metallic and foil gift wrap.
  • Broken household items like dishes, ornaments and artificial Christmas trees.
  • All types of foam packaging including takeout containers and packing peanuts.

"Also, remember to take old electronics to your nearest electronics recycling drop-off and donate reusable goods like clothing, furniture and toys through local charity donation centres," read the release.

The city is also offering tips to lessen the amount of waste that gets tossed away, including:

  • Give the gift of experiences rather than physical goods.
  • Buy items that come with less packaging or in recyclable packaging.
  • Use fabric, newspaper/flyers, or old calendars to wrap gifts.
  • Save gift wrap, gift bags, bows and ribbons for reuse.
  • Plan your meals and holiday food shopping to prevent waste and save money.
  • Skip the paper napkins in favour of a reusable cloth material.
  • Use reusable containers for leftovers instead of plastic wrap or tin foil.

The city has an online guide called What Goes Where to help Calgarians sort materials for collection.