Home » News » Reduce holiday trash and have a greener new year Statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show that during the holiday season, the average American family throws away 25 percent more trash than they usually do. Think about your household: could some of this trash be reduced, reused, recycled or composted? Reducing holiday trash can help households save money on “Pay As You Throw” town trash stickers or bags, reduce carbon and methane emissions, and protect the environment. Recycling, yes or no Wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper and greeting cards/envelopes are all recyclable. However, paper items that contain glitter, wire, metallic inks or foil are not acceptable. Tape and labels are OK. Remove batteries from singing greeting cards before recycling the card.