Musical Greeting Cards Contain Mercury
Musical greeting cards contain mercury, a dangerous chemical that cannot be put in recycling or the garbage. Find out how to dispose of musical cards.
Remove Everything But Paper
Before recycling a greeting card, remove parts that have glitter, foil, metal charms, felt cutouts and ribbons. All of these items will contaminate paper recycling.
Foil-Lined Envelopes Are Not Recyclable
Foil lined envelopes cannot be recycled, so throw them out. Recycle the envelopes of greeting cards as paper. It’s OK to keep stamps and adhesive strips when recycling envelopes or cards.
Alternative Ways to Recycle
St. Jude’s Recycled Card Program
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children operates a recycling program in which the fronts of greeting cards are used to make new cards. They accept all cards except Hallmark, American Greetings and Disney due to copyright laws. Find out how to participate.
Ways to Reduce
Stick to Simple Cards
Avoid purchasing cards that use glitter and foil because these cards are non-recyclable. Also avoid purchasing greeting cards that come with foil-lined envelopes.
Switch to E-Cards
Sending your cards electronically is not only more economical and timely, but much more environmentally friendly.
Make Your Own Cards
Making your own card can be done with any number of basic supplies you have lying around. You can save money while giving something more personal and meaningful to the recipient at the same time.
Ways to Reuse
Turn Greeting Cards Into Gift Tags
One way to reuse greeting cards is to turn them into gift tags. Simply cut out any part of the card, write a little note on the back, and use that as a gift tag.
