Got old holiday lights? Don’t trash ’em.

Did you know that Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday time frame, which equals an extra 25 million tons of garbage?

Don’t add to that number!

Have those holiday lights that stopped working? Or maybe you have so many lights you don’t want what to do with them?

If they’re working, see if you can give them to a friend or neighbor through the Facebook Buy Nothing project.

If they’re not working, there’s a recycling program for that.

MOM’s Organic Market takes holiday lights, working or not, and recycles them! In their new life, they’ll be turned into roofing and construction materials, piping, car batteries, other electronics, lead wheel weights, flatware, jewelry, and more!

Thanks to our reader & Green Philly Insider Nicole for the tip that inspired this post!

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Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher