Milwaukee Post
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/620037
24 • Milwaukee County Post • December 24, 2015 MILWAUKEE — As the average American increases her or his waste by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and the New Year, the Milwaukee Department of Public Works encourages all city residents to reduce and recycle the usual bottles, cans and cardboard boxes. As for the holidays, the DPW suggests to: ■ Choose reusable plates, cups and uten- sils for gatherings. ■ Make recycling easy for guests by put- ting out a recycling receptacle next to the garbage can. ■ Use a reusable bag while shopping. ■ Get creative with wrapping. Reuse newspapers or paper grocery bags as gift wrap. Incorporate the wrapping into the gift, like giving kitchen tools wrapped in a hand towel. ■ Reuse gift bags and ribbons from pre- vious years. ■ Buy gift wrap and holiday cards made from post-consumer recycled paper. If every household in Milwaukee reused one yard of ribbon, the saved ribbon could stretch from Milwaukee to Green Bay, the DPW said in a news release. Which holiday items can be recycled? ■ Greeting cards and wrapping paper can be recycled as long as they are free of ribbons, foil and other non-paper items. ■ Cardboard gift boxes and packaging can be flattened and recycled or save them to reuse or for storage. ■ Gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons and bows are not recyclable. Reuse them next year and save money and room in the land- fill. ■ The city does not accept old TVs, com- puters, tablets, scanners, printers, cell phones and other electronics in either the garbage cart or the recycling cart. If your recycling cart is full, place extra recyclables in a clear bag and set them next to your recycling cart. Or bring extra recy- clables to a City Self Help Center. For information on the City's Self Help Centers, go to www.milwaukee.gov/mpw. The centers will be closed today, Friday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. City residents can use www.mpw. milwaukee.gov/services/garbage_day to determine their next scheduled garbage and recycling dates. There will be no garbage or recycling pick-up today, Friday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Residents can also call 414-286-CITY (-2489) for more information. DPW offers holiday waste, recycling tips 247569064 January 9 & 10, 2016 10:00AM – 4:30PM Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, Milwaukee Plan the Wedding Everyone Remembers! For more event information see the Wonderful World of Weddings special section available online at gmtoday.com beginning December 21.