Christmas is only a week away! For those of you who are late decorators and may have missed our articles in the previous weeks, this week we present to you simple decorations that can be made from those old stacks of newspaper or cardboard you may have lying around.

1.Newspaper Ornament
Creating a newspaper ornament to hang on the tree or by itself is a very easy task. Simply bunch together a few sheets to create a ball, then cut out strips of even length and roll them tightly into rolls. Ensure you tape or glue the ends so that it doesn’t unravel. Then glue each roll onto the ball you created to form the complete ornament.

2. Toilet Paper Wreath
Toilet paper rolls are an item you probably never thought could be used to create something wonderful. But they can! Instead of throwing out those toilet paper and paper towel rolls after you’ve finished using them, this Christmas create wreaths with them. To begin, cut about 2 inch sections from the rolls.Paint the outside and inside of each section that has been cut. Put together five pieces to create a flower. Make as many flowers as you would like so that your wreath can be as large as you would like it. Create a circle with the flowers you have made to form the wreath. Of course, you can accessorise your wreath with beads, ribbons, etc.

3. Paper Christmas Tree
Create a table-top Christmas tree from those stacks of newspaper that you will probably never use again. For this you’ll need a chopstick, cardboard and an abundance of newspaper. Cut about 11 different sized squares using newspaper. You’ll need copious amounts of each size. Run the chopstick through the cardboard to create a base to place the newspaper. Then stack the newspaper squares, placing the larger ones at the bottom, placing them in different angles to create the effect shown in the diagram.

As we enjoy the bliss of Christmas, we once again encourage all to be mindful of the impact their actions have on the environment during this season of goodwill. If you do choose to create these wonderful decorations, remember you can store them safely to reuse them for many years to come. For more ideas on reusable decorations, log on to:

http://www.lifehack.org/326403/green-5-diy-christmas-decorations-using-recycling-materials

http://sugarandshimmer.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-newspaper-christmas-tree.html

Happy Holidays!!!
You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com