5 Tips for a More Eco-Friendly Christmas
The festive season can be a time for real overindulgence. With excess amounts of food (and bucks fizz) most likely being consumed, and a sea of wrapping paper taking over your living room, have you ever thought about cutting down on all that waste? A recent study by Biffa revealed that the UK creates 30% more waste over the Christmas period. So, this year we're giving you some simple tips for a more eco-friendly Christmas.
#1 Eco-friendly Christmas Decorations
Transforming our homes into an artisan winter wonderland, paper decorations are a must-have for your Christmas decor. Not only do we reap the aesthetic benefits but the decorations can also be recycled if you don't want to keep them any longer. Hang from your ceiling, your tree or create a cosy window display.
#2 Eco-friendly Christmas Gifts
There are loads of different ways you can help to reduce waste when it comes to gifts. From considered fashion crafted from recycled fabrics, to saying no to mass produced items. Another popular choice for cutting down on waste is secret Santa. The average number of presents received per person each year is 17! How many of those do they really want or need? Why not try secret Santa with your work colleagues? Or commit to only one (more considered) main present per person.
#3 Food
When you reminisce about last Christmas, is one of your first thoughts the constant grazing and full stomach? No matter how hard you try to use up all the leftovers, ultimately there will be a huge amount of food that ends up being left. The simple answer, buy less? Do you really need three cheeseboards and 20 pigs in blankets for your family of four? Alternatively, why not collect your unused cans of soup, bottles of Shloer and Christmas cake and donate it to your local food bank?
#4 Wrapping
A study of 2,000 Brits revealed that we'll bin up to 108 million rolls of wrapping paper this Christmas. Just think of how many trees that equates to! For a more eco-friendly Christmas and to avoid going through an unimaginable amount of wrapping paper, we're here to help.
- The number one and pretty obvious way to reduce wrapping paper waste is to recycle! Check the label when you buy to make sure you can pop it in your recycling bin on Christmas day.
- Keep hold of old or leftover wrapping paper and gift bags from last year and reuse them when you can.
- Have you ever thought of alternative versions of wrapping paper? How about wrapping your present with a vintage scarf that they can also wear?
#5 Christmas Cards
A tradition that we're big advocates of, Christmas cards are something we all look forward to in December. Unfortunately, they are another big contributor to paper waste during the festive season. In the 21st century we rarely leave the house without our phones, so why not send an eco friendly Christmas card in the form of an E-card? E- Christmas cards will forever be saved on your phone and not put in the bin when the new year hits. However if you are a big fan of filling your window sill with Christmas cards then ensure that they are recyclable.
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