Help reduce holiday waste and save money by giving experiences instead of stuff – at discounts up to 50 percent. Purchase “experience gifts” through Waste Free Holidays, a program offering discounted tickets to many Tacoma and Pierce County attractions, events and services such as museums, plays, restaurants, sports, bed and breakfast inns, concerts, massages, yoga, golf and more.

Tacoma Solid Waste Management is partnering with Pierce County Solid Waste Division, King County Solid Waste Division and Seattle Public Utilities to sponsor Waste Free Holidays, providing more than 180 experience gift offers discounted between 15 and 50 percent. Tickets must be purchased by Dec. 31, but event dates extend into 2006. Waste Free Holidays tickets may be purchased only from participating organizations.

Pierce County households typically throw away 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Food waste, shopping and gift bags, wrapping paper, product packaging, bows and ribbon unnecessarily use up landfill space. Waste Free Holidays encourages gift giving without the trash.

In addition participating Tacoma and Pierce County organizations, there are 125 participants in Seattle and King County.

Details on all discount offers are listed at http://www.wastefreeholidays.com.