Amy Norris, the spokeswoman for the state’s CalRecycle, wants to help you reduce waste this holiday season.

How can people reduce waste during the holidays? You can start by reducing the amount of wrapping paper you use.

How can someone reduce the amount of paper they need? Don’t buy new paper until you need to. Or another great idea, the U.S. Geological survey gave out old maps that you can use.

Is wrapping paper not recyclable? It is, but what I think happens is after the holiday, when people fill up their curbside bin and they can’t fit any more, they put it in the garbage.

What is one common thing people can do to reduce waste that is often a surprise? Batteries. Buy reusable batteries rather than single use. And many people just throw them in the garbage rather than properly dispose of them.

What about food — is there a way to reduce waste with holiday meals? One way to cut that down is to compost.

akoskey@sfexaminer.com