Tips For An Eco-Friendly Christmas

Choose a gift that lasts 

In the chaos of Christmas, it's easy to find yourself flustered and, in turn, rashly panic buying countless stocking fillers and random gifts. Less is more. Putting thought and meaning into one present with longevity will be of much greater appreciation and value (plus, it's less likely to be shoved to the back of a drawer).

Why not opt for a gift such as a house plant? It's kind to the planet and can spark joy again and again.

Image credit: patch plants

Get creative with a handmade gift 

Another way to help the environment — and simultaneously save money — is to make your own presents. Maybe baking, painting or sewing is where your talent lies. Either way, nothing goes more appreciated that a gift with its own personal stamp.

If you're like me, and not the most creative when it comes to drawing, sewing, etc, stick to simple baking recipes. A gift of warm, homemade cookies or a winter wonderland themed bake is sure to make your loved one smile.

www.fivehearthome.com

 

www.lilluna.com

Make the switch to sustainable wrapping paper 

It is estimated that Britain alone uses enough wrapping paper to cover the island of Guernsey. What's worse is that a lot of this cannot be recycled (paper covered in glitter, ribbons and tape aren't recyclable).

Making the switch to sustainable or brown eco-friendly paper will help to minimise the colossal levels of waste produced during this period. Instead of adding ribbons and other unrecyclable decorations to your presents, try using plants or dried orange to add a perfectly Christmassy, yet eco-friendly twist.

Even better, if you happen to have a stash of unused magazine/newspapers, how about putting them to use for present wrapping this year. It saves on the environment and your money.

Also, make sure to save and store gift bags as these can be easily reused (just remove the gift tag!). Additionally, Christmas cards can be kept and, with a little alternation, converted into gift tags.

www.housebeautiful.com

www.upcyclist.co.uk

Give the gift of a virtual experience

 Why not embrace 2020 - the year of Zoom - with a virtual gift? With the prospect of in-person experience gifts looking uncertain, the concept of online experiences or masterclasses has never seemed quite so appealing.

Whether you know someone into baking, fitness, or language learning, there are a plethora of virtual classes and experiences available for every possible interest at our fingertips. The even better thing about virtual gifts? The carbon footprint is zero.

onlinetutorials.org

Rent a Christmas Tree

 Every year, over 8 million Christmas trees are taken, and, as quickly as they are used and decorated, are discarded into landfill, releasing greenhouse gasses.

Fortunately, there are now increasing numbers of companies offering rental services for Christmas trees, giving them life once again after the festive season. If this service is not available in your local area, make sure to buy from FSC tree farms (you can go to bctga.co.uk or growninbritain.org to research growers in your area), or even better, decorate an existing houseplant with fairy lights for a modern, trendy and sustainable twist on a Christmas tree.

coxandcox.co.uk

 Plantable Christmas cards

Plantable Christmas cards are a brand new concept to me, but they pretty much work like this: once the card has been used, simply cover it in soil, under direct sunlight and watch it grow into wildflowers (essential for our bees and butterflies!).

These cards don't have to compromise on style either. You can find myriad festive designs perfect for this Christmas season available from sellers such as MadeByMika on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MadeByMikaLtdAdd caption

Shop locally

There's no better time than Christmas to support local businesses and sustainable farm shops - cutting down on food miles. Look out for organic, locally grown vegetables and, if a turkey is a priority, discover nearby, small scale producers with ethical practices to evade supporting intensive farming practices.

Photo by Peter Wendt on Unsplash

Consume less

Typically, we tend to be less cautious about the abundance of waste we produce during the Christmas period. It's paramount that we make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of unnecessary waste that we produce by buying less. However, if you do still find yourself with more food than planned, freeze your leftovers. This'll prevent food wastage and create some easily prepared future lunches or dinners!