Keeping the holidays merry, bright, and sustainable

Thanksgiving has passed, which means we are officially entering the holiday season! For many of us, the days after Thanksgiving are spent decorating, from procuring the perfect tree, dusting off the menorah, or untangling strings upon strings of holiday lights. But all too often upon plugging said lights in, there’s the disappointing discovery that they are, in fact, broken.  

It’s very tempting to simply chuck the offending lights in the trash, but holiday lights contain a number of materials that are harmful for the environment, including plastic, copper, and even lead in some cases. Some bulbs can also release mercury into the environment if broken. Tossing old lights in the garbage means these materials will sit in a landfill for years. When you consider how many people throw away their lights, the ecological impact is significant.  

Did you know you can responsibly dispose of old or broken holiday lights while also enjoying the magnificent LED-powered lights of IllumiNights: A Lantern Festival presented by Georgia Power? Now through January 19, bring those lackluster lights on any night during the run of the event, and we’ll accept them at Zoo Atlanta Admissions.  

Visiting during the day? We’ll accept them during the daylight hours too. Not local to Atlanta? There are lots of other ways to recycle holiday lights, including mail-in recycling programs like Green Citizen or Ridwell. Alternatively, many grocery and department stores have recycling programs this time of year, or you can donate still-working lights to your local thrift shop.  

Thank you for all you do all year long to help us protect our Earth, and we wish you a truly merry and (sustainably) bright holiday season!