Yule trees call attention to holiday waste

Candy wrappers, empty snack bags and used plastic grocery bags.

Aurora University students combined those and other castoff materials to craft holiday yule “trees” designed to call attention to trash generated by the holidays. The trees are on display throughout December at the university’s Phillips Library, 315 S. Gladstone Ave. Aurora.

Featuring a “Garbage IQ” test and recycling tips, the trees were assembled by students in Julie Hipp’s Wellness and Social Responsibility class. Hipp, assistant professor of English, said this is the most wasteful time of the year. One tree on display comprises 250 plastic bags — the average number of bags used by a typical consumer over six months, students say. Both the trees and their ornaments were made from common, single-use products. While they are recyclable, most often they end up in landfills or the ocean.

Each ornament presents a fact about waste produced during the holidays or a tip to reduce waste. Examples of way to reduce waste include replacing paper coffee cups with reusable plastic or ceramic mugs and sparing some of 200,000 trees cut annually to make holiday greeting cards.