Christmas Decoration Competition

Press Release 30th November 2009

A Unique Christmas Decoration Competition!

Christmas is fast approaching and as we prepare to get festive and celebrate South Dublin County Council is asking everyone to think about the environment this Christmas.

Every year each household generates a lot of extra packaging waste over the Christmas period, an estimated 54kgs per household. This year the Council is running a Christmas Decoration Competition with a twist which will provoke people to think about their waste in a new way.

Claire Hinch Assistant Environmental Awareness Officer encourages everyone to get involved ?This is an inexpensive and fun competition that families, students or individuals can enter. Just use your imagination and reuse everyday household recyclables to make Environmentally Friendly Christmas Decorations. All sorts of items that otherwise end up in the bin can be used such as egg boxes, old CD?s, yoghurt tubs, cereal boxes, lollipop sticks, broken toys, odd socks. The prizes for the best entries are environmentally friendly Solar LED Christmas Lights?. The closing date is 18^th December 2009. For more information and to download an entry form please log onto to www.southdublin.ie.

Some tips for an environmentally friendly Christmas:

? If you're not sure what to buy, why not buy gift vouchers and avoid wasteful production of unwanted goods at the same time.

? Gift tags can be made from old greetings cards.

? Pass any unwanted presents on to your local charity shop rather than throwing them away - there is sure to be someone who will like them!

? Say no to unwanted bags! Always use a reusable shopping bag or reuse plastic bags. Don't accept bags that you don't need.

? When shopping, avoid goods which involve unnecessary packaging or complicated mixed material packaging which can make recycling difficult.

? Recycle used batteries

? Avoid using paper plates, cups and serviettes if you are planning a party.

? Buy Recycled! Buying products that have a recycled content is just as important as actually recycling

? Choose decorations which can be reused, rather than flimsy ones which will be used once and thrown away.

Contact: Claire Hinch, Assistant Environmental Awareness Officer, South Dublin County Council. chinch@sdublincoco.ie