The holidays are meant to be a season of joy, but for many, they’ve become a season of pressure. The pressure to give the perfect gift, to keep up with trends, and to take advantage of every deal that flashes across our screens. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday to end-of-year sales, it’s easy to get caught in the cycle of overbuying, and our planet feels the impact.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, household waste increases by up to 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, adding an estimated 25 million tons of extra garbage in just a few weeks. In Florida alone, more than 30 million tons of solid waste are produced each year, much of it from urban areas like West Palm Beach, Tampa and Miami, where the combination of tourism and consumerism intensify the problem.
At Resource Depot, we see this cycle firsthand. As a nonprofit creative-reuse center in West Palm Beach, we’ve spent 25 years helping people rethink what they throw away. In this year alone, we diverted more than 200,000 pounds of materials from the waste stream. This includes everything from brand-new craft supplies to overstocked “giftable” merchandise. It’s a powerful reminder that much of what we throw away isn’t always worthless.
By buying less and reusing more, we do more than shrink the waste stream — we push back against a culture that measures love and care by how much we spend. The most meaningful gifts aren’t always purchased; they’re crafted, repurposed or chosen thoughtfully and with intention.
This holiday season, try a new kind of shopping. Here are five ways to make the season more joyful, and more sustainable:
- Buy less. Think twice before you make a purchase. Ask yourself if the gift adds meaning or just adds clutter.
- Shop secondhand first. You’ll find unique items without fueling new production. Secondhand often costs less as well!
- Choose quality. Durable, repairable goods last longer and waste less.
- Support local makers and small businesses. Your dollars stay in the community.
- Pause before you purchase. Waiting a day often leads to smarter, more intentional choices.
At Resource Depot, we make it easy to celebrate sustainably — whether you’re gifting or creating. Find unique, gently used treasures at our TreasuRE Boutique, or gather materials in our Materials Marketplace to craft thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gifts.
We also invite you to join us at our REthink REtail Holiday REsale taking place through Jan. 3, 2026, where you can turn holiday shopping into a chance to create and give back with purpose.
This year, protect the planet from the pressures of overconsumption. Buy less. Reuse more. Support local. Together, we can make sure the holidays stay merry, meaningful and mindful.
Jennifer O’Brien is the executive director of Resource Depot, a creative reuse center in West Palm Beach celebrating 25 years of turning waste into wonder. The nonprofit helps keep items out of the waste stream by redistributing materials to teachers, artists, families and other nonprofits that need them. Learn more at resourcedepot.org.
