Hooked on Science: Leftover wrapping-paper tree

Do you have a lot of wrapping paper left after Christmas? Before you recycle the wrapping paper, you can create a wrapping-paper tree by using the left overs and a few other materials from around the house.

Materials

* Wrapping paper

* Scissors

* Masking tape

Instructions

STEP 1: Unroll and cut about 3 feet of wrapping paper.

STEP 2: Roll the wrapping paper back into a cylinder, and tape it from end to end so it does not unroll.

STEP 3: At one of the ends of the cylinder, cut three slits into the wrapping paper about 12 inches down the cylinder.

STEP 4: Go to the end that you just cut, stick two fingers into the center of the cylinder, and pull upward.

Explanation

Did you know wrapping paper and shopping bags alone account for about 4 million tons of trash annually in the United States? If every American family wrapped just three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. Do not forget to recycle your wrapping paper tree.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.