During the holiday season people across the globe generate massive amounts of waste. Food, decorations, and gifts produce 25 million tons of garbage every year.  

An estimated 250 million pounds of food waste was produced this Thanksgiving. Turkeys are especially detrimental to the environment. 263,000 turkeys are thrown away each year, emitting 9 million pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere. From Christmas to New Years 14,000 tons of plastic, 230 tons of food, and 2.3 million tons of packaging are discarded. In addition to the trash, 28 million unsold Christmas trees are dumped in landfills every year. There, the trees break down and release harmful methane gas into the atmosphere. 

Carbon dioxide and methane gas released by holiday waste are significant accelerants of global warming. Much of the plastic waste ends up in the ocean, where it contributes to habitat destruction and endangers the life of marine animals.

Holiday waste is often disposed of improperly and harms the environment. Instead of purchasing a real tree that will end up in a landfill after Christmas, invest in a plastic tree that can be reused for years to come. Wrap gifts in recyclable materials or keep them in reusable bags. Be mindful of the waste holiday purchases produce and consider donating leftovers to a charitable cause. 

https://lbre.stanford.edu/pssistanford-recycling/frequently-asked-questions/frequently-asked-questions-holiday-waste-prevention#:~:text=Q%3A%20How%20much%20extra%20waste,million%20extra%20tons%20per%20week!

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-families-throw-out-1-500-in-uneaten-food-every-year-how-to-reduce-waste-this-thanksgiving-11637602823#:~:text=Between%20Thanksgiving%20and%20the%20New,to%20go%20to%20waste%20nationwide.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29669041/#:~:text=In%20a%20turkey%20brooder%20barn,negatively%20affect%20turkey%20poult%20performance.