Burrito Justice

PSA: a lot of wrapping paper isn’t recyclable :(

“Metallic or plastic holiday wrapping paper. Instead, look for types that feel like regular paper, without shiny or plastic coatings. If you can crumple it and it stays crumpled, or it rips easily, it’s likely recyclable, according to the Resourceful app via the Ecology Center in Berkeley”

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/recycling-trash-SF-17673317.php

6 ways you’re recycling wrong, according to Bay Area trash experts

Recycling can be confusing, even for the conscientious, but paying attention can make a difference, waste experts say. Here are some tips to recycle correctly.

San Francisco Chronicle
Dec 25, 2023 at 8:05pmIvory for iOS
Show threadBurrito JusticeDec 25, 2023
“Also, it’s important to avoid putting your recycling in plastic bags. Because of the large volume handled each day, workers don’t have time to open them and the whole bag will likely be sent to landfill”
Show threadEllen Teapot 🇨🇦🏳️‍⚧️Dec 25, 2023
@burritojustice Bless my husband’s slightly deranged sorting process that allows me to use plastic bags in a kitchen bin as the interface to both curbside pickup and bulk refundables
Show threadGinny Bee (she/her)Dec 25, 2023

@burritojustice this is why Recycling is the last of the three Rs.

Reduce

Reuse

_then_ Recycle.

The 90s mainstream grabbed the Recycle part and created a PR campaign that lives on which excuses all the consumption that Americans are supposed to need.

Doesn't mean I don't recycle like my life depended on it. I'm just not blindly blissful about how useful it is. ok getting off my soap box now 🤓

Show threadBrian DearDec 25, 2023

@burritojustice

Even better, imho, are gift cloths. Just take a piece of fabric, pop the gift in it, cover the cloth around it, tie some ribbon, done. And you can re-use the gift cloths over and over for years. And you don’t even need to necessarily buy them, in a pinch just use towels etc. Cleaner, cheaper, better.

Show threadBurrito JusticeDec 26, 2023
@brianstorms we started using those this year! furoshiki ftw
Show threadDan PetittDec 26, 2023
@burritojustice we have used brown wrapping paper for many years now; we also use ribbons and other things to make them pretty, which we reuse year after year. So much nicer, it’s sturdy, cheap and recyclable; but also looks better imo