5 Top Tips For A Green Christmas

5 Top tips for a green christmas 🌲

72% of UK residents are keen to reduce their plastic waste this Christmas (GWP, 2023). Here are a handful of ways in which we can put the wishful thoughts into action.

1. Be Mindful of your Materials.

There’s an `I` in Christmas and it stands for indulgence. Christmas is the season of giving, and naturally, that means instead of the disciplined single bag of shopping, you are liable to end up with four or five, ESPECIALLY, with the all encompassing temptation of the Black Friday sales.

Unfortunately, this can lead to the problem of waste; over 100 million bags of rubbish go to landfills each Christmas (GWP, 2023). Instead of giving into the hedonistic spending Christmas can encourage, choose to be mindful with your spending. Instead, opt for sustainable materials on items such as wrapping paper, cards, and napkins to reduce the rubbish going to sit in landfills each Christmas.

The company ReWrapped champion 100% recycled, unbleached wrapping paper; designed with vegan friendly vegetable inks and are all decomposable and recyclable. If you surf the internet for sustainable alternatives, there are a plethora of options available – this Christmas, your loved ones AND the planet will feel the love.

2. Opt for locally sourced real trees over plastic.

The Carbon Trust found that a 2 metre- high artificial tree boasts a carbon footprint of 40 kg CO2– and typically cannot be recycled. This is compared to an equivalent real Christmas tree which has a carbon footprint of 16 kg CO2 (that’s if it ends up in landfill).

Have a Google search of the Christmas trees in your local area to avoid transport emissions. For when the season has finished and you are looking for a sustainable way to dispose of your tree; there are a couple of options. Investigate into your local recycling scheme for Christmas trees; instead there are several charities who similarly endorse this scheme. Alternatively, if you have a back garden and want to repurpose your tree, perhaps you replant your tree to keep for the entire year round!

3. Get creative with an Ecoegg Laundry Egg as a sustainable Christmas cracker!

Ditch single-use Christmas crackers and reduce the UK’s 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging with a sustainable twist (GWP, 2023).

Our Ecoegg Laundry Eggs open at the touch of a twist. With the same effect as opening a Christmas cracker, you can be in charge of the little surprises hidden inside the Christmas egg. Ranging from joyful notes to handmade gifts, such as earrings or a bottle opener – be as creative as you wish!

4. Embrace the art of reuse.

The UK throws away approximately 500 tonnes of Christmas lights each year (GWP, 2023). It doesn’t take a genius to realise there is a monumental amount of waste going on here.

It is our job to minimise that waste where we can. For example, Christmas lights are reusable from year to year – invest in some reliable and energy efficient LED lights to be using them sustainably. Emulate this mindset in all aspects of decoration, for example, aim to reuse your baubles each year (given your cat doesn’t try to climb the tree and sends them crashing to the floor); reuse your tablecloth and avoid the shops advertising their shiny, brand new ones. You could even craft your own decorations if you’ve got or wanted to explore your creative flare.

5. Support a circular economy with second-hand or eco-friendly presents. 🌲🎁♻️

Each year, the UK spends £700 million on unwanted Christmas gifts and £42 million worth of these unwanted Christmas presents are sent to landfills (GWP, 2023). To reduce this waste, there are multiple options on the market now which promote a circular economy of materials. For example, clothing platforms, such as Vinted and Depop, are a great way to buy second hand clothing which people would otherwise chuck away – and for a reduced price, what more could you want.

If you were to buy something first hand, investigate the materials that went into making these items. The company Barefoot, makes their shoes entirely from recycled, bio – based materials; so not only will your feet feel good, but so will your conscience.