Need last-minute gifts? King County’s Waste Free Holidays can help

Feeling overwhelmed by the holiday gift-giving countdown? Looking to save a few bucks while celebrating the season? Give King County’s Waste Free Holidays program a try.

Aimed at encouraging county residents to consider giving experiences as gifts, instead of more stuff, the program offers discounts of 15 percent to 50 percent on tickets, gift certificates and memberships for concerts, plays, sporting events, museum visits, restaurant meals and even massages.

“Our Waste Free Holidays program is perfect for a last-minute gift," said Tom Watson, Waste Free Holidays project manager for King County. “You can select the gift on our Web site in the comfort of your own home, choosing from among 140 different discount offers.”

This year’s program has also been expanded to include the City of Tacoma, giving South King County residents more convenient gift-giving opportunities.

Here’s how the program works: Each partner offers an experience gift at a discount of 15 percent or more. Purchases at the discounted price can be made through Dec. 31, 2004 by contacting the partners directly. Full details on all offers are posted at www.wastefreeholidays.com.

Need a few ideas for that perfect gift? How about a cruise on Puget Sound? The program offers a 15 percent discount on Argosy Cruise gift cards. What about aikido lessons? You can get 30 percent off instruction for kids or adults at the Seattle School of Aikido. Does that special someone on your gift list love monster trucks? Tickets to the Jan. 16 Monster Truck Jam at the Tacoma Dome are available at a 20 percent discount. And what local basketball fan wouldn’t want to see the resurgent Seattle Sonics? Discounts from 15 percent to an amazing 50 percent are available on selected tickets for games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets.

According to a national survey for the Center for a New American Dream, the holidays are “prime time” for consumption—Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than any other time of year. Extra food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week in the nation’s garbage piles. And if every family used just two feet less of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the Earth.

For more information on Waste Free Holidays, visit www.wastefreeholidays.com or call Tom Watson at 206-296-4481.