The Recycling Council of BC is dreaming of a green Christmas.

RCBC is offering tips to residents to try and cut down on the amount of Christmas waste going to landfills this holiday season.

One of the lesser known tips is that wrapping paper isn’t always recyclable.

“The word ‘paper’ is in there, so we think ‘it’s got to be recyclable” said Harvinder Aujala with RCBC. “If it’s made out of foil or if it’s got add-ons (like glitter), all of those things make it unrecyclable and it would be a garbage item.”

The gifts themselves can also effect the amount of waste that ends up in the trash.

“If you’ve got somebody that loves to cook, instead of giving them a cook book, why don’t you give them some cooking lessons? or if you’ve got someone that’s more sporty, give them tickets to a local sporting event” said Aujala. “There’s a lot of ways you can find something they love that doesn’t create a lot of waste.”

Aujala also recommends replacing incandescent Christmas lights with LED’s that use 90% less energy and last 7 times longer, or opting for a live potted Christmas tree which can be re-planted later.

Full information on green holiday tips can be found at the RCBC website.