Q: Is there an eco-friendly way to wrap and send gifts this holiday season?
A: Admit it—for years you’ve rolled your eyes every time Aunt Mildred carefully unwraps a gift so she can save the paper for next year. But maybe she has the right idea. Americans throw away 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Aunt Mildred-style recycling is one way to cut back, but there are other ways to make your gift-giving green.

Wrap it up Package gifts in newspaper; old magazines (even this one); elephant poo-poo paper—an odorless product whose manufacturers earmark a percentage of the profits for elephant conservation; a biodegradable plastic bag; or a reusable container (like a tin or Tupperware). The US Postal Service also sells boxes on EBay that have a Cradle to Cradle certification from architect William McDonough’s consultancy, which evaluates sustainability.

Pack it in When it comes to shipping your surprises, resist the urge to cushion your carefully chosen gifts by packing them in a Styrofoam-filled box. “A complete no-no is polystyrene, aka Styrofoam peanuts,” says Julie Muir from the Stanford Recycling Center. If someone sends them to you, try dropping them at your local UPS store to be reused and recycled. To protect your packages, use shredded paper instead (you were going to recycle those old printouts anyway, right?).

Send it over UPS has a “green fleet” of 1,629 vehicles that can transport your goodies using alternative fuel.

Give it back Finally, don’t forget to recycle the boxes you receive (and re-gift any of those presents that weren’t quite your style)—make Aunt Mildred proud.               

—Susan Cosier