Fozblog

Deck your halls green this holiday! Part 3

Here are some eco-friendly tips for after your holiday celebrations, courtesy of Barbara Lucks and the City of Springfield's Public Works Department.

Reduce litter

• Make sure your trash is bagged securely so it doesn't blow out of trash-collection vehicles.
• Don't throw your old tree on the side of the road. Take it to the end-of-season collections around town. These collected trees are used to create animal habitats or mulch. Call the City of Springfield's Recycling Hotline, 864-1904, or visit the City's Web site for locations and dates.
• Did you receive a new computer or other electronics surprise? Don't throw the old one in the trash. Have it recycled and disposed of properly at the Computer Recycling Center, 417-866-2588.
• And, remember you can recycle wrapping paper at the City of Springfield's Recycling Centers (no plastic or foil). For center locations and hours, call the Recycling Hotline (864-1904) or visit the City's Web site.

Deck your halls green this holiday! Part 2

Here's more great eco-friendly holiday tips from Babara Lucks and the City of Springfield's Public Works Department.

Food waste from Halloween through New Year's is the highest of any time during the year.

• Before you prepare holiday meals, take a head count and adjust the amount of food accordingly to avoid waste.
• Be creative with left-overs.
• Dispose of grease properly so it doesn't create sewer line problems.
• Never pour grease down the drain.
• Pour grease into a metal or glass container and place in the trash. A lid is required on a container holding liquid grease. Containers of solid grease do not need a lid.
• Scrape food and grease from dishes and pans prior to washing.
• To receive a copy of the "Fat-Free Sewers" brochure, contact Randy Lyman, Public Works Department, Sanitary Services Division, 417-864-1921.

On Monday, we'll write the third post of this series about holiday trash.

Deck your halls green this holiday! Part 1

Barbara Lucks, from the City of Springfield's Public Works Department, circulated a number of eco-friendly holiday tips. For more information, visit the City's recycling Web site.

Here's a great giving tip: If you are replacing old, used items with new ones (clothes and usable household items), donate the used items to local charities.

As you wrap your gifts, keep these helpful tips in mind:

Reduce and reuse wrapping

• Make the wrapping a part of the gift; for example, wrap a kitchen utensil in a new kitchen towel.
• When shopping, consolidate purchases into one big bag, rather than getting a new bag at each stop.
• Decorate brown paper sacks as wrap using rubber stamps, recycled Christmas cards or drawings.
• Consider using paper that can easily be recycled, such as old comic sections, old maps and children's art work.
• Save gift bags, boxes, bows and ribbons for reuse next year.

Recycle wrapping and packing materials

• Paperboard (examples: wrapping paper rolls and cardboard) are easily recycled at the City of Springfield's Recycling Centers. Christmas gift wrap is also accepted (no plastic and no foil). Call the Recycling Hotline (864-1904) or visit the City's Web site for locations and hours of operation.
• Styrofoam packing peanuts can be recycled in several locations in Springfield. Call the City's Recycling Hotline (864-1904) or visit the Web sitefor more information.

Visit FOZblog again soon for more green holiday tips coming in the next few days!

Outdoor "decorations" for wildlife

Contributed by Pam Herd, Director of Conservation Education

As we begin decorating for the holidays, here are some suggestions for you to consider.

Synopsis
"Night Tree" tells the story of an unusual family tradition. As the brilliant moonlight illuminates the path through the forest, this family makes their seasonal journey to decorate their favorite evergreen with popcorn and cranberry ropes, slices of fruit and sunflower-seed ornaments as a present for the living creatures of the woods.

Use wildlife crafts as a way to create your own family traditions, keep young holiday guests busy and provide food for our wild friends.

Wild Bird Fruit Kabobs
You will need various fruits or fall vegetables (apples, oranges, pears, grapes, berries, squash or pumpkin) and string, twine an old wire hanger or other flexible wire. Slice larger fruits into manageable sizes and poke a hole in the center of each piece.

If you're using string or twine, tie a knot in one end of a 3- to 4-foot long piece. Thread the fruit and vegetables onto the string and hang it from a tree branch.

If you're using a wire hanger or other type of wire, simply thread the wire through the food. Bend the open end around to secure the food and hang. (The hook of the hanger makes an easy way to hang the kabob on a limb.)

Popcorn and Cranberry Rope
You will need popcorn, cranberries, thread and a blunt-tip needle. Cut a piece of thread to your desired length. Using the needle, string the popcorn and cranberries onto the thread. Knot the ends and drape the rope on a tree.

You'll find ideas for other wildlife crafts such as pine cone bird feeders, natural bird seed wreaths and gelatin bird seed wreaths.