King County's Waste Free Holidays program offers dozens of perfect last-minute gift ideas

For those who like to wait until the last minute to buy their holiday gifts, or are simply out of ideas, King County has lots of options - 140, to be exact.

The King County Solid Waste Division's 2006 Waste Free Holidays program features 140 partners offering "experience gifts" that are never the wrong size or the wrong color. They're also easy to wrap and can be purchased through Dec. 31.

"Purchasing a gift card or gift certificate from any of the wide array of participating retailers at a special discount price is not only good for the person getting the gift, it's also good for the buyer and good for the environment," said Tom Watson, King County's Waste Free Holidays project manager.

" Each year, Americans generate more than five million extra tons of trash between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, and we can all do our part to reduce that mountain of trash by making smart consumer choices."

Now in its 11 th year, the "Waste Free Holidays" promotion, sponsored by King County Solid Waste Division and Seattle Public Utilities, is loaded with unique gift-giving ideas. Program partners are offering special discounts of 15 to 50 percent for everything from dinners to theater tickets, spa treatments and weekend getaways.

Here's how the program works: Each participating business offers an experience gift at a discount of 15 percent or more. Purchases at the discounted price can be made through Dec. 31 by contacting the partners directly. Details on all the offers and the participating partners are posted at www.wastefreeholidays.com. This Web site also includes information on the Waste Free Holidays programs offered by the City of Tacoma, Kitsap County and Thurston County.