To encourage environmental responsibility during the holiday season, Fayette County Extension Service offers recycling suggestions for each day from Dec. 1 until Christmas.

25 Recycling Days Until Christmas

25. Grow a plant from your kitchen trash (avocado, pineapple).

24. Recover your school books over the holidays using brown paper sacks.

23. Use unmatched socks as cleaning rags.

22. Cover cereal boxes with leftover wallpaper, fabric or shelf lining to be used as file or magazine holders.

21. Clean up your craft closet and help others at the same time. Donate any used material to your local quilt or sewing guild.

20. Use old Christmas cards to make mosaic coloring book pictures. (Cut up cards into small squares, brush glue onto picture, place squares on page.)

19. Make homemade cleaning supplies from items commonly found in your pantry.

18. When buying presents, look for items that come in reusable containers or with the least amount of packaging possible.

17. Tired of junk mail? Write to:

Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735-9008. Request to have your name taken off the marketing list.

16. Wrap your gifts creatively, using the comic strip, sports page, calendars, wallpaper, fabric or decorated sacks.

15. Buy and use rechargeable batteries for all those Christmas toys.

14. Avoid using disposable dinnerware. If you absolutely must use plastic cups, write names on the cups to discourage waste.

13. Make handmade gift tags from old Christmas cards.

12. Bring your old shoes in to be recycled. Many repair shops accept shoes, repair them at training centers, then donate them to needy families.

11. Make it a point to donate your old newspapers and aluminum cans to your local church, school, or community organization.

10. Volunteer at a Christmas tree recycling site. Call the Fayette County Extension Office at 770-460-3750 extension 412 to volunteer.

9. Call the Fayette County Extension Office for a list of local recycling sites.

8. Cleaning up the yard before hanging the lights? Start a compost pile with this fall's yard waste.

7. Give presents that benefit the earth. Plants and shrubs make long-lasting gifts.

6. Make a bird feeder from recycled plastic bottles.

5. Make gift tags from last year's Christmas cards.

4. Using extra pine roping and discarded Christmas tree branches for mulch.

3. Cut up used computer paper and use for scratch paper.

2. Donate those bikes sitting in the garage collecting dust to a local charity.

1. Bring your packing peanuts and bubble wrap to your local mailer for reuse.

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