The Holidays are over and we will soon be back to our routines. Your first task it to sort through that pile of extra garbage that you acquired over the last two weeks. If you were careful when you bought and wrapped your presents, you should easily be able to recycle or "save to reuse" over 80 percent of the packaging.

VALCORE will accept your extra corrugated cardboard and brown/grey chipboard gift boxes. These boxes along with white gift boxes can also go in your curbside bins. Don't forget to remove all non-recyclable packing materials such as Styrofoam, bubble or other plastic wrap.

Newsprint packing material can go in your blue bin or dropped off at VALCORE. Tissue paper is not recyclable. I suggest you compost it or use as packing material.

VALCORE will accept plain wrapping paper, but no fancy, foil paper. Do not include ribbon or bows because these are made from polypropylene (that's plastic to you and me).

Holiday cards can be recycled with your junk mail if they do not have foil or glitter. Please do not include envelopes with the foil inside the flap.

Now is the time to get off all those catalog lists. Call the 800 numbers on the catalogs and ask that they remove your name.

TREECYCLE

If your tree is still up, please continue watering it to prevent it from becoming a fire hazard. You have three tree recycling options: pick-up by six local nonprofit groups, drop off at VALCORE Recycling (Monday-Saturday, 9am - 4pm) or Vallejo Garbage (Thursday-Saturday, 8am-4pm), or cut up for your yardwaste container.

Last year, five nonprofit groups collectively earned $7000 by picking up trees. Those recycled trees created over 45 tons mulch that was used by the city. Look for the Treecycle ad in this paper, pick up a flyer at VALCORE, or call 648-5346.

As you start using all your new electronics, toys, and clothes, you may want to donate or recycle the old things. Here are a few suggestions:

There is a free E-Waste Recycling event scheduled for Saturday, January 20 and Sunday, January 21 at Benicia High School located at 1101 Military West. The hours are from 9 am to 3 pm each day. Items accepted include computer monitors and all parts, printers, fax machines, copiers, televisions, VCR & DVD players, toner cartridges, telephones, cellular phones and MP3 players. For more information call 1 888 832-9839 or log onto www.recycle-guide.com.

Vallejo Garbage will also pick up old televisions and computer monitors for a fee. You can drop off most Ewaste at local Goodwill stores year round. There is a new Ewaste recycler located at 724 Lincoln Road East in Vallejo. FMRC is open from 10am to 2 pm daily and will accept most E-waste. Call 707 551-7072 for more information.

Other items that you no longer want or need can be donated to your favorite thrift store. You may want to join the Vallejo/Benicia group of freecycle (www.freecycle.org). You simply "offer" an item via your email address and, if one of the 500 plus members is interested, they will email you. Your next step is to set up a pickup time for the new owner. If you need something, you can always place a "wanted" listing.

Several new web sites have evolved from the freecycle template. Check out www.eswapit.com, www.swapthing.com or www.throwplace.com. Finally, if you are good at selling things try www.craigslist.com or www.Ebay.com or simply have a garage sale.