...to feel sad that MIL has wrapped presents in glitter paper?

[somehowsunshine]

Can't recycle it. She knows we try really hard to recycle. We are always finding recyclable plastic in her general waste bin. My DH and I will have to bite our tongues on Xmas day as we scrunch the glitter paper into the bin. I know my husband will want to say something but it will make MIL feel bad and make us look ungrateful. I can't stand glitter!

Sorry I see you explained why he pokes around in her bin.

I'd say go vegan op, but I don't want such sanctimonious joy sponges on our team.
(We have a pr problem as it is)
But seriously, leave your mil alone and focus on your own methods.

I do clench my teeth a bit when the in-laws use glittery non-recyclable paper as it seems so wasteful. It's combined with a total 'fuck you, planet and everyone on it' attitude that they adopt for everything though, so I think it's why it annoys me.

I don't think you are being unreasonable. Some of the comments on this thread are absolutely mental.

there is now a lot of eco friendly glitter around!

No there isn't. It is all made of plastic and is unrecyclable.

your DH pokes in his Mum's bin and lectures her and she still lets you both inot her house and buys gifts for your kids? The woman is a saint.

While I am here, genuine question....yes i get that glitter is wrong and as bad as painting the parcels with novichok but what should be done with all the existing glitter in the world? I mean I actually agree that we should stop making it and using it but is it not reasonable to use up exisiting stocks? oh and PS not sure where you live but in many places little or nothing that can't be recycled goes to land fill. Instead it is incinerated in sealed closed system furnaces and the resulting heat is used to generate electricity. Not Ideal I know but no landfill use.

It's something that you just have to put up with for the sake of good relations. My brother doesn't recycle anything - coke bottles, glass bottles, cans etc all in the normal refuse (the binmen don't check the bags) and I hate it because I wash and recycle every last thing at home, also his house belongs to us so I feel responsible too, but although it winds me up I don't feel it's my place to tell him how to live - he's a grown adult!

@somehowsunshine

DH tends to look through the top of his mums bin when we're round, and usually pulls out 5 or 6 plastic items or cans that can be recycled. Mil can't be bothered which really pisses us off! He does it to make a point of how much she must throw into landfill instead of recycling.

FFS

Imagine the OP if someone's MIL went through their bin.

You are both astonishingly controlling, and if your DH criticises his mum ON CHRISTMAS DAY for the paper she's wrapped HER GIFTS TO YOU in, he's a total shit.

For goodness sake, sort out your priorities. And stay out of the poor woman's bin.

You do you

I have glitter paper which I bought years ago for a commission (used to make cards and gifts), and have used it in the past to wrap gifts as I would rather that than waste it.
I know it can't be recycled but it's been bought and is useable.

YABVU

I agree with your basic principle. There is too much waste and and too many nonrecyclable products in our world atm. That's why this year I have cut back on buying (or receiving) presents to the point I only have 5 items to wrap and they will all be wrapped in eco-friendly paper.

That being said I think it's patronising to feel sad about someone not sharing your and my priorities. It's like pitying them for not being as clever and socially aware as you. Your MIL probably has things she feels strongly about that don't matter to you. Remember that when your beloved DC grow up they will hold different opinions to you and might well think you are a bit old fashioned and out of touch. It comes to us all!

Relax, accept that you can't control other people and try to enjoy Christmas.

Could you upcycle it in some way?
www.coloryourhealth.com/home/25-fun-diy-projects-to-upcycle-used-wrapping-paper

@Bussinbussin

This has got to be a wind up. Either that or the OP is thick as a plank.

A real eco-warrior wouldn't be scrunching wrapping paper and chucking it in the bin. They'd open gifts carefully, flatten the paper out and reuse it as many times as possible, before even considering whether it is suitable for the (unreliable, energy guzzling) process of recycling.

Right!!

@somehowsunshine

DH tends to look through the top of his mums bin when we're round, and usually pulls out 5 or 6 plastic items or cans that can be recycled. Mil can't be bothered which really pisses us off! He does it to make a point of how much she must throw into landfill instead of recycling.

Seriously? In someone else’s house? And she puts up with it? He wouldn’t be doing it in my house.

@somehowsunshine

DH tends to look through the top of his mums bin when we're round, and usually pulls out 5 or 6 plastic items or cans that can be recycled. Mil can't be bothered which really pisses us off! He does it to make a point of how much she must throw into landfill instead of recycling.

YABU and a total dick.

Going through bins...

If you're so damn concerned about the environment don't reproduce that's the biggest burden on the planet. Be as sanctimonious as you want as long as you're doing all you can. I assume you're doing everything perfectly. Locally sourced vegan food, electric car (or no car), reused clothes from charity shops, one child maximum per household etc.

If not - go be sad about being hypocritical.

It's wrapping paper. One old lady with wrapping paper. Her recycling won't impact the mess the planet is in. Unless she's also responsible for the CO2 released by China each year? Is she?

Ideally we do the best we can I recycle. I'm trying to shift from vegetarian to vegan. Do I police others? No. Am I SAD about wrapping paper? No I'm sad about being isolating over Christmas due to Covid. Gees.

Chez Eyelesbarrow, we're working through an enormous stash of totally eco-unfriendly paper that we have somehow acquired. Once we're finally through it sometime in 2030, I'm planning to swap to reusable wrapping cloths for family presents. In the meantime, it would be daft not to use the paper up - it will go in the bin, either way - might as well get some use out of it. Maybe the MIL is in the same position?

This can't be real, or is it a reverse? I always recycle but nobody would admit to be this sanctimonious! Stop going through the poor woman's bin!

It's a shame you can't use it to mop up your tears.

@MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry

Hopefully one of the glitter wrapped presents is a grip.

🤣🤣🤣

@somehowsunshine

DH tends to look through the top of his mums bin when we're round, and usually pulls out 5 or 6 plastic items or cans that can be recycled. Mil can't be bothered which really pisses us off! He does it to make a point of how much she must throw into landfill instead of recycling.

If someone did this to me I'd be tempted to wrap their presents in the skins of endangered animals. (Joke, ok, joke.) But it is really, really rude. And pointless - if he does it every time he knows it's not going to change anything now, surely. So he's just being rude and sanctimonious.

Rifling through bins of someone else's home that you are a guest in?! And it winds YOU up?!
Between that and the one off glitter paper I'm sure your DC will enjoy, you and your DH sound absolutely unbearable honestly.

there is now a lot of eco friendly glitter around!

No there isn't. It is all made of plastic and is unrecyclable

Things have moved in in tbe glitter world. Eco friendly, non plastic, biodegradable glitter is available.

Oh and just use the paper for crafts. DM used to save every Christmas card and any wrapping that wasn't torn to shreds for us to make our Christmas cards with next year and it was great fun.

@fruitbrewhaha

It's a shame you can't use it to mop up your tears.

THERE YOU GO. A recycling opportunity for you. AND your sadness will be covered by the glitter.

Seriously though - save it for craft, for art stuff with your children, to make tags and cards for next Christmas, take it off carefully and reuse it next year as wrapping paper, donate it to a school/club like Rainbows who can use it for crafting...

Is your imagination limited to the blue recycling bin?! One of the biggest issues facing us is to how to use and reuse existing materials not just to send them to a recycling facility. The paper is made and sold and bought and under your tree. Use your imagination and common sense and USE IT rather than bin it while gently sobbing.