The new year is the perfect time to refresh your sustainability habits, and you don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to make a real difference. Start by tackling post-holiday cleanup thoughtfully—gift wrap and cardboard boxes can be recycled in your curbside recycling bin or dropped off at one of more-than 50 recycling drop-off sites around Franklin County. Many communities offer free curbside pickup of live trees or other holiday greenery, and they can also be dropped off at the SWACO Recycling Convenience Center, which even accepts Styrofoam and old string lights that don’t work anymore.
Then build momentum with small, doable changes throughout 2026.
- Toss a few reusable bags in your car for grocery runs, and shop with a list to avoid over-buying. Check out the Save More Than Food recipes for creative leftover meal ideas.
- If you’re traveling this year, consider using a refillery and reusable containers to avoid waste in your personal products.
- Take up a low-waste hobby like gardening and start a simple compost bin to turn food scraps into garden gold.
- Fix that leaky faucet you’ve been ignoring in order to conserve water.
- Spend time with your loved ones at sustainable activities like volunteering in the community, a movie night at home, or by going on a family bike ride.
These aren’t just feel-good gestures—they add up to real impact for our community and planet and SWACO will be here to support you throughout the year with resources, tips, and programs that make sustainable living easier. Check out the Green Holiday Guide for even more ways to clean up from the holidays and get the new year off to a great start and add a sustainable twist to your 2026 resolutions!
Upcoming SWACO Events
- Webinar: New Year, New Sustainable You – January 14th at noon
- Kick off the New Year with waste reduction tips that will help you make positive, sustainable changes for yourself and the planet in 2026 and beyond! Click here for more information and to register today.
- Public Landfill Tour – February 7th at 10:00 am
- Come visit the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill to learn how SWACO safely manages our community’s waste and the actions you can take to reduce your reliance on the landfill. Click here for more information and to register today.
