Ten Tips To Have a Sustainable Christmas
The countdown to Christmas Day is nearly there. Many of us have already sorted out gifts and are well on our way to planning for the special day, but how do we align sustainability with Christmas?
Here are ten tips that will help us go in the right direction.
1. Make a list
Making a Christmas wish list is crucial as it shows what you want as a gift and reduces the likelihood of a present being unopened and sitting in its box for months.
2. Quality not quantity
It can feel overwhelming if you have received a list from a partner, child, or someone else. They may have added many items to their list or too few. When buying gifts, think less but better, putting the time into picking a quality item that will last a long time.
3. Gift an experience
Not all gifts have to be a physical possession, and gifting an experience is a good part of a minimalist lifestyle. You could give a ticket to their favourite band, film, or event. Why not plan a day out somewhere they like, or gift a coupon for their favourite online shop or restaurant?
4. Plan
Plan your timings, whether cooking a turkey, nut roast, fish, or anything else. Cook the right amount of food for visiting people, and consider how likely they are to eat an item you may cook. Try to cut down on food waste by cooking the correct amount of food; it can be easy to cook more. However, we can eat some food cold the next day, which saves money. Plan when to turn the oven on and which items you can cook together. If you can plan efficiently, you will save energy, using your range less.
5. Test your wrapping Skills
If you find it difficult to wrap gifts as I do, gift bags can be significant. We have a small amount of them and reuse them each year and any we receive. If you have good wrapping skills, look for FSC-certified wrapping paper which is not foil-backed; consider using paper tape.
6. Gift Tags
If you receive many Christmas cards, consider crafting with them at the end of the season. Christmas cards can make great gift tags for the next season, allow a second use for the card, and celebrate card design.
7. Eat seasonally
Fill your shopping basket with seasonal fruits and vegetables to reduce air miles and energy from growing crops out of season.
8. Christmas Crackers
Many Christmas crackers are not recyclable, and the toys inside are often made of plastic and disposed of after a few uses. Instead, look out for FSC-certified crackers and gifts not made from plastic.
9. Christmas Lights
Many lights used on Christmas trees are LED, which uses less energy; however, if you are going out of your house or to sleep in the evening, consider switching off the lights.
10. Christmas Tree
If you buy a Christmas tree, consider whether you will use it for the next ten years. Alternatively, if you have a fake tree, consider continuing to use it, as the resources have already been used to produce it. If you cannot see yourself using a plastic tree for years to come or prefer a real tree, make sure it is FSC-certified. Once the season ends, check your local council to see if they can turn your Christmas tree into wood chips.
