More Memories, Less Waste: Holiday Waste Tips for Ward 2 Residents, 2025

Dear residents,

The holiday season is a time for family, celebration, and creating moments that matter. It’s also a season when we need to be conscious about how we dispose of our wrapping paper and food waste. Calgary’s Waste and Recycling Services team has launched this year’s holiday waste campaign, and I want to share a few tips and reminders to help all of us reduce waste, sort seasonal items properly, and stay ahead of the holiday collection schedule.

Reducing Holiday Waste

Small choices can make a big impact. Choosing reusable gift bags, reducing unnecessary packaging, and planning meals to avoid food waste are easy ways to cut back. Consider meaningful gifts like experiences or homemade items. They are memorable and create less garbage.

Holiday Waste in the Right Place

Sorting holiday waste correctly keeps our neighbourhoods clean and our waste system running smoothly. Here are a few quick reminders:

• Blue Cart
  Recycle wrapping paper, tissue paper, greeting cards, cardboard boxes, paper gift bags without handles, and plastic packaging labeled one through seven. Bubble wrap can be bundled together with stretchy plastic bags and tied closed.
• Green Cart
  Compost turkey bones, baked goods, vegetable scraps, food soiled napkins, paper plates, and any fats, oils, sauces, or dressings from holiday meals.
• Black Cart
  Garbage items include foil or metallic gift wrap, tinsel, cellophane, broken ornaments, dishes, burned out lights, and artificial trees.
• Eco Centre Drop Off
  Take old electronics, dead batteries, shipping foam, and takeout containers to any City Eco Centre. This keeps hazardous items out of the landfill and reduces fire risk.

Christmas Tree Composting

There are two options for disposing of real Christmas trees.

1. If you use a Green Cart, remove all decorations, cut the tree into small pieces, and place it inside your cart with the lid fully closed.
2. You can also drop off your undecorated and unbagged tree at one of the designated sites from December 26 through January 31.

Drop off locations are listed at calgary.ca/christmastree.

Holiday Collection Schedule Changes

Only Thursday collection is affected this year. As a result, there will be no pickup on December 25 or January 1. Instead, households with Thursday service will have their carts collected on Monday, December 22 and Monday, December 29. Regular Thursday pickup resumes on January 8. All other residents will be collected on their usual day.

For reminders and the most up to date information, visit calgary.ca/cartschedule.

Staying Informed

You can bookmark these helpful links:

calgary.ca/holidaywaste
calgary.ca/cartschedule
calgary.ca/christmastree

Thank you for doing your part to keep our communities clean and safe this season. Each small action brings us closer to a more sustainable city, and I appreciate everyone who takes the time to make responsible choices during the holidays.

If you have questions, please reach out to my office at ward2@calgary.ca.