Green Holiday Tips

Reduce your environmental impact during the holidays with some helpful tips.

Compost Holiday Trees

Greener Tree Tips

Live trees

Consider buying a live tree and planting it outside after the holidays. Once in the ground, the tree adds value to your landscape and helps soak up excess rainwater.

Compost your Tree

If you have a cut tree, compost it when the holidays are over.  

  • Both haulers in Bothell offer curbside tree collection for residential customers. Find out requirements for Recology or Waste Management.
  • If you don’t have curbside organics service, find a location near you to compost your tree.
Recycling Cart

Know Where It Goes

Did you know Americans throw away 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day? Make sure your waste goes to the right place.

Wrapping Paper

Recycle wrapping paper right with Recology’s gift wrap guide.

Special Item Recycling

Recology customers can schedule curbside collection of Styrofoam, household batteries, old bikes and bike parts, small appliances and electronics, cooking oil and kitchen grease, textiles, and more while The Recology Store store is closed due to COVID-19.

Holiday lights can be recycled at locations throughout King County.


2020 Bothell Kenmore Chamber Business Guide

Sustainable Gifting

Shop local

Shopping locally supports our Bothell businesses while reducing your impact on the environment. 

Give the gift of waste reduction

Look for gifts that help your loved ones reduce waste. From reusable food wraps and storage containers to bamboo toothbrushes, the options are endless!

Wrap up the holidays

Get creative with King County’s repurposed wrapping ideas.

Holiday Dinner

Holiday Meals

  • Buy only what you need.
  • Defrost your holiday roast in the refrigerator and save 50 gallons of water.
  • Swap a bowl of water for the running tap when rinsing fruits and vegetables. Then use it to water plants.
  • Use your organics container instead of the garbage disposal for food scraps.
  • Most new dishwashers don’t require pre-rinsing dishes. Instead, save water by placing them right in and waiting for a full load to run. If you have to hand wash dishes, plug the drain and fill your sink with soapy water.
  • Use your leftovers.