15 Nov Shredding During the Holidays
The holiday season is almost here, and we know it can be one of the busiest times of the year. With holiday parties, gifts, and time with loved ones, it can be easy to push aside other tasks—but making sure your information and identity stay secure should be a top priority, especially around the holidays. The Environmental Protection Agency says that Americans create 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than any other time throughout the year, including wrapping paper, holiday cards, and receipts. Shredding during the holidays is a great way to secure your personal information that is usually found on these documents.
Your home isn’t only full of gifts, it’s also full of your personal information. During the holidays it is easy to accumulate dozens of documents and cards that can contain your personal information. From bank statements and credit card offers, to holiday cards with your address and other personal information, these documents need to be securely destroyed, such as by shredding, to keep your information safe.
Keeping Your Information Safe During the Holidays
Shredding documents that contain your personal information should be common practice year- round, but it is even more important around the holidays. During this time, you are more likely to host gatherings in your home—making you even more vulnerable to a leak of sensitive information. Shredding documents such as bank statements and credit card offer will not only protect you from getting your information stolen, but it can also help you declutter and organize your house right in time for those holiday parties.
To Shred or Not To Shred?
During the holidays, the United States generates an extra five million tons of waste, according to the Clean Air Council. This trash is made up of ribbons, bows, and wrapping paper—but also documents that contain your personal information, such as cards and bank statements. Make sure to shred any of the following documents to keep your information and identity safe this holiday season.
Holiday Cards
Those holiday cards are a lovely gesture from your friends and family during the season. While they make for great decorations, don’t leave them laying around for too long—they can also contain personal information such as your address.
Envelopes
Most of those holiday cards, or even credit card offers and bank statements, will come in an envelope. Most people just throw them away when opening the letter, which leaves your address and full name in the garbage where this information could be compromised. Shredding the envelopes along with the documents is a great step to take to prevent this information from getting into the wrong hands.
Credit Card Offers or Statements
Credit card offers, and bank statements are mail that can be expected year- round. During the holidays, credit card companies flood our mailboxes with even more offers due to the high rates of buying during the season. Make sure to securely dispose of any mail from banks or credit card companies by shredding to protect yourself, and your information.
Reuse and Recycle
During the holiday season, there are some materials and trash that cannot be shredded or recycled. Wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and shopping bags are all materials that can be kept and reused the following year. None of these materials contain sensitive or private information, so they are generally safe to keep.
Greenway is Here to Help This Holiday Season
We know the holiday season is the busiest of the year, so let us take care of your shredding. By securely disposing of these documents and cards by shredding, you are taking steps to keep your information safe and secure. Contact Greenway Shredding and Recycling today to set up a system that works best for your business for document destruction.