Simple Seasonal Offerings

November 28, 2017

November 28, 2017


“'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free…”


"Simple Gifts" is a Shaker song composed by Elder Joseph Brackett in 1848. Nearly two centuries later, keeping in mind that simple things can enhance the holidays experience remains sage advice. Incorporating the “3R’s”—reduce, reuse and recycle—into the holiday season allows us to focus on “the simple.” 


Holiday Cards

Sending locally made cards helps promote local artists. Or, consider purchasing cards made of recycled content. If you are inclined to save received greeting cards, they make great gift tags. Cut out shapes, write a message on the blank side, make a hole in the tag, and attach with ribbon (used, of course!) or yarn.


Wrapping Paper

Dish towels, scarfs, and similar items make practical and reusable gift wrapping. Of course, saving wrapping paper and gift bags for reuse is also thrifty and environmentally-minded. To keep this year’s received wrapping paper in good shape, iron on low as needed (on the wrong side of the paper), fold, and store flattened. There are loads of tips on reusing wrapping paper, and other “green gift” ideas, on the Gift Decorating website.


Holiday Decorating

Buying locally grown trees helps to support the local economy. Consider environmentally-friendly decorating, such as sprinkling the tree with some baking powder to make a “snowy” appearance. Be sure to find out about Christmas tree mulching opportunities. For those with large yards or acreage, consider reusing the tree to provide cover for birds, rabbits, and other critters during inclement weather. The tree can also be covered with strands of popcorn and cranberries for wildlife, or used as a holder for a pine cone feeder for birds.


Hosting a holiday decorating party with family and friends is a wonderful way to share the season. Making homemade holiday decorations out of paper and other natural or found objects can be entertaining. Edible ornaments from cookies, and popcorn or cranberry “strings”, are fun and delicious ways to decorate.


Simple Gifts


Got talent? Consider the following:

  • Create a photo collage of memorable photos for the gift recipient.
  • Make a recipe booklet of your favorite recipes, family cooking traditions, holiday theme meals, etc.
  • Compile a list of memories for the gift recipient and display them in an artistic manner.
  • Videotape or record an interview with parents, siblings, or other relatives about childhood memories, how they met, family history and events, etc., and present it to family members.
  • Make flavored oils or alcohol, homemade granola, or spice mixes for gifts.
  • Bake homemade treats and pack them in a recycled tin or basket.
  • Make a calendar with photos of family members, family events, and/or local scenery; blank calendar templates can be purchased online.


Not so crafty?

Consider purchasing local-made items, crafts, or other gifts to support the local economy and artists. Music lessons, gift certificates to local events, school and sporting needs, etc., are welcome creative gifts. Reusable baskets or containers of local cheeses and other locally purchased items are another thoughtful idea. Consider “themed” gift basket, such as a “breakfast basket” (locally made bread, jam, etc.) or “special evening” basket (wine, cheese, and crackers).


Gifts of “experiences” are different and exciting. A fun idea for kids is a subscription to a “monthly surprise family activity.” This gift can be made practical to fit any family budget, provides for family together time, and fosters new explorations as a family. Gift certificates to a spa, sports game, concert hall, or movie make great “experience” gifts as well. The gift of “time,” such as “gift certificate” for mowing the lawn, cooking a meal, walking the dog, or other helpful chores is always appreciated as well.


A compost bin or kitchen collection bin make great holiday gifts, and composting is a wonderful New Year’s resolution!


Gifts with a reuse theme

  • Clean out the closets and fill an old trunk or suitcase with fun clothing, hats, shoes, and gaudy jewelry for children to play dress-up.
  • A trip to a local reuse center or thrift store offers a wealth of gift options, including attractive vintage clothing, jewelry boxes, vases, lunch boxes, games, and more. Used clothing, jewelry, and other items can be repurposed into a variety of “new” gifts.
  • Buy a used book and inside the cover write a dedication explaining why you chose the book for the gift recipient.
  • Make envelopes out of magazine pages and combine these with blank stationary paper purchased from an office supply or craft store to make homemade stationary sets for gifts. A reusable pen can be included for an additional touch.
  • Host a “swap party” gift exchange for an entertaining reuse activity. Add extra fun by playing the gift-switching game White Elephant.
  • “Regifting” (with tact) is also an appropriate reuse option.

The holidays remind us of the needs of those less fortunate than us. Consider involving the family in donating usable clothing, toys, household items, and other items to local charities. Building reuse centers will accept usable building materials, tools, and hardware; many will also accept appliances.


Holiday meals and parties

Advanced preparation for leftovers will not only reduce waste, but also allow holiday meal guests to enjoy leftovers. Plan now by saving yogurt and butter containers for leftover storage; also, encourage holiday guests to bring their own containers for taking home leftovers.

Be ready with extra containers for freezing leftovers. And, be creative by exploring new dishes with holiday leftovers. The Internet is filled with creative cooking ideas for leftovers!



By Athena Lee Bradley

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Andela Products

By Sophie Leone • May 27, 2026
Founded by Cynthia Andela, Andela Products is a leader in Glass Recycling. Since its inception, Andela Products has expanded into designing complete systems to pulverize, clean and screen post-consumer waste glass. Andela uses cost-effective systems to transform waste glass into usable, high-value materials. Andela provides multiple applications such as a Pulverizer, Crusher, Laminated Glass, CleanGlass Cleaup Systems, and Single Stream Recycling. The variety in systems allows Andela to reach a diverse network of businesses and expand their reach. In addition to equipment, Andela has a detailed library of resources and safety information on the recycled glass market. Providing the community, and those in the industry, with details on glassphalt, sand and aggregates, glass sand as soil amendments, PCR, best practices and much more. Andela features testimonials on their websites, showcasing the prestige and easy operational use of their equipment by customers. With some customers stating, “We are incredibly satisfied with the GP-MegaMini from Andela Products — it is efficient, reliable, and its performance has exceeded our expectations” and “We appreciate the ease of ordering wear parts and value the attention and service we receive from Andela Products, it’s a true partnership”. NERC is excited to welcome Andela Products into our growing glass community. We look forward to supporting an organization committed to innovation and advancing technology while promoting education and best practices. For more information on Andela Products visit.

Q1 2026 Northeast Commodity Values Increase Despite PET’s Continuing Decline

By Megan Fontes • May 26, 2026
Aluminum, Clear Glass, and Natural HDPE See Significant Gains in Outbound Tons Marketed in 2025

Commodities market hurts county recycling revenue

By Brian Shane | OC Today-Dispatch • April 30, 2026
(May 1, 2026) Worcester County collected millions more pounds of recycling last year, but generated less revenue – and taxpayers are covering the difference. The shift reflects a sharp drop in the market for recyclable materials, which has undercut what the county can earn from selling paper, plastic and metal. County officials say they sometimes hold materials for weeks or months, waiting for a buyer, Public Works Director Dallas Baker told the county commissioners. “Cardboard still sells really well. Metals sell really well. Plastic is kind of horrible,” he said at an April 14 budget work session. “For most of the year, plastic might not sell at all – like, you have to pay somebody to come take your plastic.” The county is projecting $150,000 in recycling revenue for fiscal year 2027, against more than $1.2 million in costs – a shortfall absorbed by the county’s general fund, according to Enterprise Fund Controller Quinn Dittrich. He added that recycling revenue has declined in the last two fiscal years, falling about $80,000 in 2024 and $15,000 in 2025. Low prices for plastics are driving the decline, according to Bob Keenan, the county’s recycling manager. Vendors are offering just a few cents per pound for plastic. “There is simply no market in it,” he said. “There are warehouses and warehouses of plastic that (vendors) can’t get anybody to buy.” Other materials have also lost value, Keenan said: Corrugated cardboard has fallen from $125 a ton to as low as $60. Mixed paper has dropped from $120 a ton to $70. Aluminum sells for $1.09 by the ton through a broker, though market prices are closer to 80 cents. At the same time, recycling volume is up. Last year, the county collected 1,985 more tons of recyclables – that’s almost 4 million pounds – than in 2024. Totals for 2025 came to 12,236 tons for residential recyclables and 24,707 for commercial, according to Keenan. He noted that the county has been promoting recycling through outreach, in part by hosting 14 school field trips in the last year to its Newark processing facility. “We send them home with a lot of literature about what you can and can’t recycle,” Keenan said. “I want people to know what we do, and that we’re not throwing their recycling away.” Worcester’s revenue decline mirrors a broader trend. A March 2026 report from the Northeast Recycling Council found recycling commodity values hit a five-year low in 12 states, including Maryland and Delaware. Industry reports also show at least five U.S. plastic recycling facilities have closed since early 2025 as demand has weakened. Ocean City officials faced a similar reality years ago. The resort pulled the plug on its traditional recycling program in 2009 after determining it was too costly to maintain. In its final year, the city spent $1.2 million on recycling and brought in $200,000 in revenue, according to Public Works Director Hal Adkins. Since then, Ocean City has contracted to truck its rubbish to waste-to-energy incinerators outside Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. “It was just not sustainable,” Adkins said. “It doesn’t make money.” Read on OC Today-Dispatch.