The holidays can be a gift that keeps on giving — to the environment — with a few simple tips for seasonal reuse and recycling.
NCTV17 has compiled 11 recycling tips and 3 reuse ideas from NEST, the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force; SCARCE, a DuPage County-based environmental education nonprofit; and Groot, the city of Naperville’s waste hauler. Check them out below:
11 holiday items to recycle
Christmas lights: Whether these work or not, bring unwanted strands to a recycling center or drop box, like the one at Naperville’s Environmental Collection Campus, 156 Fort Hill Drive. Kay McKeen, founder and executive director of SCARCE, says holiday lights contain copper, ferrous metal and brass, all of which are recyclable.
Live Christmas trees: Make sure to place your tree by the curb for recycling to be mulched, McKeen says. For city of Naperville residents, tree pickups are available on your regular garbage day during the weeks of Jan. 5 and Jan. 12, 2026. To prepare, Bart Visser with Groot says, make sure your tree is bare; and, if it’s taller than 8 feet, cut it in half. “Tinsel and ornaments left on trees contaminate the load and put us at risk of rejection by compost sites,” Visser said. For unincorporated residents, SCARCE offers a list of tree recycling options.
Cooking oil: Liquid vegetable cooking oil can be turned into biofuel. SCARCE supports this initiative, which also helps prevent sewer clogs, and has a list of 15 sites that accept cooking oil for recycling.
Food waste: Even if you don’t maintain your own compost pile, Beth Schwartz with NEST says Naperville offers two sites to drop off food scraps for composting year-round. Find these at the city’s compressed natural gas fueling station, 1720 W. Jefferson Ave., or a city-owned parking lot at 91st Street and Wolf’s Crossing Road.
Plastic bags: These can tangle other recyclables and clog sorting machines, so Groot recommends placing recyclables straight into your cart or in paper bags. To recycle plastic bags, SCARCE’s McKeen recommends taking them to a Jewel store because Jewel recycles them through a company that can turn 1,200 pounds of plastic bags into a durable bench for a school.
Wrapping paper: Unless it’s made of foil or decorated with glitter, good news — wrapping paper is recyclable.
Gift boxes: Recycle these when they’re cardboard. But, Groot says, make sure to break down and flatten boxes so they’re easier for drivers to collect.
Styrofoam packaging: That styrofoam inside gift boxes is recyclable, NEST’s Schwartz says. While not allowed as part of curbside collection, Naperville encourages residents to drop off styrofoam at a partner facility, Dart Container, at 310 Evergreen Drive in North Aurora. There’s also a styrofoam drop-off at First Congregational Church of Naperville, 25 E. Benton Ave., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 11 and 12, 2026, Schwartz says.
Electronics: If you get that new TV or tablet, recycle the old during electronics recycling hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the Naperville Environmental Collection Campus. There’s a fee to recycle TVs, flat screens and monitors — $25 per unit for smaller screens under 21 inches, and $35 each for anything larger.
Textiles: When your wardrobe gets a refresh, Schwartz says old clothing can be taken for recycling through a now-permanent textiles recycling program at Naperville’s Environmental Collection Campus. Just like electronics recycling, this service is available from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Textiles must be dry and free of hangers.
Poinsettias or plants: Gifted a Christmas plant? Don’t trash it when it’s done blooming, McKeen says. Instead, dump it under a tree. Most plastic planters aren’t recyclable because they’re coated with debris. But, “at least take the plant out of the plastic container and put the plant and the bedding under a tree so it can compost,” McKeen says.
3 holiday ideas for creative reuse
Repurpose greeting cards: Many paper greeting cards can be recycled — as long as they’re not glittery. But for a fun reuse idea, keep the designs and turn them into gift tags, McKeen suggests. Or, send the same card back and forth with a friend year after year, adding a new message each time. Another thought from McKeen: Save the front half of a card, then write a message on the back, add a postcard stamp (cheaper than a regular letter stamp) and send it that way to lighten the load for mail carriers and decrease the use of fossil fuels.
Craft anew from old clothing: Those with a knack for sewing can take old fabric and turn it into new items. McKeen has heard of crafters turning shirt sleeves into wine bottle sleeves — and that’s just one possibility. Turn old T-shirts into rags for cleaning the house. Collect old denim to make sturdy reusable bags. Combine sections of old ties into quilted pillowcases.
Glass jars: When you’re done with any food product that comes in a glass jar — think grape jelly, pickles or baby food — McKeen advises to wash out the jar and save it. These can be brought to future holiday gatherings and used to store and reheat leftovers.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
