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December 2025 Greener Davis Environmental News

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three packages wrapped in brown paper with green pine needles as decoration and brown twine

Green Your Holidays

Here’s some tips to make your holidays merry, bright and green:

If you use store-bought wrapping paper, look for recycled content wrapping paper without glitter or metallic elements.
Save and reuse wrapping paper, gift boxes and bags. They fold easily and take little room to store in a closet or cabinet. Convenient for impromptu gift giving year-round!
Research options and shop smart! Choose products with the least amount of packaging possible. Why pay extra for useless packaging materials?
With all the extra cooking you may be doing, avoid sewer back-ups by disposing of used cooking oils and fats properly. Although they might seem like liquids when you're done cooking, fats, oils and grease can solidify when poured down the drain, building up on the walls of sewer pipes and blocking the plumbing. This can lead to sewer backups in homes, onto streets and into local waterways. Pouring hot water or soap down the drain will not help - it can only break up the grease temporarily. Place cool, solid fats and grease in your organics cart for composting. Soak up small amounts of cool, liquid fats and grease with paper towels and place them in the organics bin. While it is not a hazardous waste item, you can recycle liquid oils and grease for free at the Yolo County Landfill hazardous waste drop-off, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visit YoloCounty.org/Landfill for more information.

Find more tips on greening your holidays.

Image of grey pavement with a yard material pile of yellow leaves and brown sticks saying check your pile size and no more than 5 feet wide by 5 feet long by 5 feet tall. Also says If it's too big it can't be picked-up

On-Street Yard Material Pile Reminders

It’s on-street yard material collection season! To ensure a smooth and speedy collection of yard materials, please keep these things in mind:

Fill your organics cart first with leaves and yard materials before placing them in the street for collection.

Check the size of your yard material pile. The claw cannot collect piles that are larger than 5 feet in any direction. If your pile is too big, you can break it into smaller piles, but they need to be separated so the claw can pick each one up.
Make sure that branches are not larger than 8” in diameter and cut long branches into sections 5 feet long or shorter so that they can be collected with the rest of the pile.
Set your pile out as close to your collection day as possible in order to keep our streets clear. Check the collection schedule to find your neighborhood’s pick-up day.
Be aware that yard material piles can create serious hazards for cyclists; yard material piles may not be placed in any portion of a bike lane.

House with a tree and shrubs and sidewalk with rain falling

Preparing for Storms

The rainy season is here, and we may see some strong storms that bring heavy rain and wind that can lead to downed trees and branches, localized roadway flooding and power outages. It’s not only important to prepare your household for emergencies , it’s also important to make sure your home and yard are prepared to not accidentally cause stormwater pollution.

Clean out gutters on buildings.
Make sure rainwater and wind will not wash or blow away mulch, dirt and other materials from your yard.
If you place yard material piles out in the street for collection, make sure they are not placed in gutters to allow stormwater to flow freely and avoid localized flooding.
Make sure your trash, recycling, and organics cart lids are closed and that carts are stored in a secure location where they won’t tip over with strong winds.
Turn off irrigation—you won’t need to water if it’s raining!
Do not apply fertilizers or pesticides of any kind if rain is in the forecast.

If you need to make a City service request to report downed branches or trees in the roadway, traffic lights out, flooded roads, sewer back-ups or other problems:

During business hours (Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) for non-emergency issues, call 530-757-5686 or make an online request.
If you need after hours/weekend assistance because of urgent City storm issues, call 530-747-5400 and press 0.
In an emergency, call 911 or 530-758-3600 from a cell phone

More information about preparing for storms.

green mistletoe on a brown tree branch with a blue sky

Pest or Partner: Mistletoe

With their shiny bright berries and thick, oval, evergreen leaves, Mistletoes (family Santalaceae) have become synonymous with our holiday session.

Broadleaf mistletoes are often seen in tree canopies and shrubs during the cooler months when leaves begin to drop. Mistletoe produces small sticky berries, as well as nesting habitat and cover for wildlife. Although mistletoe can provide ecological functions in natural settings, in urban landscapes and backyard gardens, mistletoe can compromise trees through infected branches.

Mistletoe requires the right conditions to germinate. Typically seeds are dispersed via bird droppings, birds' feet/beaks or by tree-trimming equipment. The parasitic relationship begins when the seeds are deposited at a viable entry point on the tree (ex. left base, twig, bud, etc.). Mistletoe becomes a parasite on the tree as it absorbs both mineral nutrients and water from their host tree. Simply cutting off the mistletoe will not provide sufficient control as they can resprout. In most cases, cutting infested branches from at least one foot from the point of mistletoe attachment is necessary for removal. Alternatively, well timed foliar sprays and/or growth regulator products may be used to suppress the spread of mistletoe. Ultimately, planting mistletoe-resistant trees (ex. sycamores, conifers, ginkgo, Bradford pear, etc.) will prevent the germination and spread of new mistletoe.

front of recycling calendar showing 4 dogs and picture of two pages within the calendar showing dogs and calendar pages

Annual Yolo County Recycling Calendar: Not Just a Pet Project!

Free copies of the 2025 Yolo County Recycling Calendar are available in Davis while supplies last at City Hall, the Davis Senior Center, Recology Davis and at the Mary L. Stephens Library. Pick up a copy to learn more about recycling everything from car tires, batteries, appliances and more in Yolo County!

Recology Holiday Collection Schedule

2025 Holiday Collection Schedule on a blue background and a calendar showing that the dates shift by one day

Recology Davis does not provide collection services on Christmas or New Year's Day. If your regular service falls on one of these holidays, collection will occur the following day. Please reach out to Recology Davis with questions at 530-756-4646 or visit Recology Davis.

As a reminder, the holidays are filled with joy—but that doesn’t mean our trash cans should be filled with waste. Keep your holiday merry and green:

Recycle wrapping paper.
Tissue wrap isn’t recyclable, but it can be composted.
Place food scraps, paper towels, paper napkins, paper plates and other paper food-serving ware in your organics cart for composting.

electric car plugged into an electric vehicle charger with a green background

Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Action Planning

You can help Yolo County identify locations for electric vehicle charging!

Yolo County and regional partners, such as the City of Davis, are developing a Zero Emission Vehicle Action Plan to expand access to affordable, reliable and sustainable transportation options across the county. We want your input on transportation and clean vehicle options in Yolo County, which includes electric vehicles (EVs), e-bikes, e-scooters, carsharing, paratransit and other shared mobility. Your responses to the survey may help shape future programs, outreach and infrastructure investments.

Link to Survey Page

stack of cardboard boxes with an arrow to flattened boxes with an equal sign to the recycling symbol

Got Carboard?

Online ordering tends to increase in November and December, so if you find yourself with lots of cardboard boxes, here’s how you can recycle them!

Please don't place large cardboard boxes in the trash or even in the recycling cart! Large cardboard boxes that do not easily fit into the recycling cart are collected separately for recycling (but only if they are prepared properly!):

Remove all packing material and make sure your boxes are completely empty.
Flatten the cardboard boxes.
Place the flattened boxes on the ground next to your recycling cart for pick-up. Please do not wedge them upright in between your trash, recycling or organics carts, as this makes it difficult for Recology to empty your carts.

Recology Davis will collect properly placed cardboard boxes on your collection day. Cardboard will not be collected if it's filled with packing material - even if it's paper. Paper packing materials should be recycled with other papers and not with cardboard.

We created a short video to show how easy it is to recycle cardboard, check it out:

More information on recycling.

Image of multiple bubbles of varying colors of red and green and yellow and blue with white question marks inside the bubbles.

Ask Greener Davis

If you have a question that you feel would be of interest to the community, please email it to PWWeb@CityofDavis.org, and you may see it featured in an upcoming e-blast or social media post.

Q. What is the most environmentally-friendly type of holiday tree?

A. There are a lot of factors to consider when looking for the best tree for your holidays if one is included in your celebrations.

Live, potted trees help clean the air, you can plant it in your yard when it gets too large, or donate it to be planted elsewhere. They can be heavy to move around though and not all trees grow well in our area.
Cut trees are easier to care for than live ones, still give off the scent of a live tree and can be collected for composting in your organics cart or yard material pile after the holidays. Depending on where and how they are harvested however, there are carbon emissions associated with growing and shipping them.
Artificial trees can be reused for many years, are often economical and can save time in set up and take down. However, they are not recyclable, so if you choose an artificial tree, be sure that it can last a long time.

Whichever tree you choose, please keep in mind that flocking your tree can contribute to litter when the plastic flocking falls off during transport or disposal. Cut trees that are flocked with plastics cannot be composted and are not accepted in yard piles or in organics carts; they have to go in the trash.

Cut trees (that are not flocked) can be composted after the holidays. Remember to remove the lights, ornaments, tinsel and tree stand. Place the tree in your organics cart (if it fits - the lid must close). Trees can also be placed in on-street yard material piles. Larger trees may need to be cut in half or have the branches trimmed in order to fit into the cart or on-street piles. Please note that yard material piles (and holiday trees) may only be placed on the street seven days before a scheduled pick-up. More information on on-street yard material collection.

Q. How can I reduce waste during the holidays?

A. Here’s a few quick tips to reduce waste.

If your holidays include gift giving:

Consider giving the gift of an experience, such as restaurant gift certificates, park passes or a subscription service (e.g., CSA “farm box” or a subscription for online books or magazines).
For large, hard-to-wrap gifts, just add a large fancy bow. Or hide the large unwieldy gift somewhere in the house or yard, and give the person a card with a clue or a series of clue cards to lead them to the present.
If you use store-bought wrapping paper, consider choosing one with recycled content (the more post-consumer content, the better). Better yet, skip the wrapping paper and just use a ribbon or yarn around the box or use a reusable bag.
Avoid buying singing greeting cards. They contain batteries and electrical components that have to be recycled separately from paper.

Say “no” to plastic.

Try decorating with things other than plastic like bits of evergreen branches with pinecones and cloth ribbons.
If your holidays include a tree, don’t flock your tree. Most flocking is plastic, and cut trees that are flocked must be placed in the trash.
When shopping, look for products with less plastic packaging.

Reuse, recycle then compost

Minimize waste during the holidays by using reusable dishware. Label waste bins clearly and sort waste into the correct bins (recycling, organics and trash). If your holidays include candles, remember that candles are not recyclable. If they cannot be reused, make sure they are completely out and not warm, then place them in the trash.

Don’t lose the leftovers

Got tasty leftovers? Ask guests to take them home, freeze what you might not use right away or make soup with leftovers.

More holiday waste reduction tips.

530-757-5686

PWWeb@CityofDavis.org

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