If you are looking to reduce your waste this Christmas then this post is for you! The purpose of this blog post is to give ideas and inspire you to make a difference this Christmas and become aware of the impact of our waste.
It’s true that Christmas is one of the most profitable, consumerist driven holidays world wide and the impact on waste is massive. Whilst there’s something magic about this particular holiday with people coming together sharing gifts and spreading love, the pace of consumption during this period is tremendous and fills many with anxiety which is not what Christmas is about – and definitely not adding up to our waste.
So, we’ve done a bit of research (so you don’t have to) and put together a list of tips that can help you minimise your waste this Christmas.
Gifts:
Choose quality over quantity! Make meaningful gifts such as experiences or purchasing digital gifts such as subscriptions or eBooks. Avoid unnecessary packaging and instead use cloths to wrap your presents which can then be reused.
Christmas Cards:
1.5 billion cards are wasted each Christmas in the UK alone! This Christmas instead of adding a card with your gift why not say out loud your wishes to your loved ones or send an interactive e-card. If that’s not for you, then you can opt in for cards with recycled paper from local shops that are not wrapped in plastic.
Decorations:
Having a decorated house during the festive period looks very special and helps get you right into the festive mood. However there’s no reason to buy new ornaments every year and instead use the ones from the previous year. You can make your own decorations with ordinary everyday items and that could be a special way to bond with friends and family. You can also collect fallen twigs and branches to use them as decoration around the house or create your own Christmas wreath.
Food waste:
It’s undeniable that we eat lots of food during the festive period so why not this year try to eliminate food waste by:
- Planning your meals in advance and what to do with leftovers
- Freeze meals wherever possible
- Share surplus food with neighbours, friends & family or why not take the extra step and share with someone who needs it
- Compost if you can’t reuse
- Make stocks and soups with scraps
Christmas tree:
Finally, a great way to reduce waste this year, opt in for a fake Christmas tree that you can reuse over the years. If you prefer a real one then why not replant it back to nature after you are done with it?
Hope these tips help you reduce your waste this year and stay tuned for more!