Climate Positive Cardiff Celebrations by Jen Abell
How many of us look at the mountain of wrapping paper, the crumpled M&S biscuit boxes, their empty plastic inners and non-recyclable film and worry about the planet instead of our waistlines? I can’t help reflecting that this is happening in houses, flats, hotels and restaurants up and down the country. What does this indulgence amount to? 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging will be generated during the festive period in the UK. Even worse, items bought that we don’t consume head straight to the scrap heap too. According to ecoandbeyond; ‘we waste 5 million Christmas puddings, 2 million turkeys, and 74 million mince pies each year. Not to mention huge amounts of vegetables, fruit and snacks.’ This is a shocking statistic, but not surprising when you consider how many 3 for 2 offers there are on never acceptable outside December gin flavoured candles and cinnamon flavoured crisps. This article is not here to guilt you into feeling shame over a time with family that we (I at least) start looking forward to from October. But I am here to say, we have no choice but to be flexible and considered in our choices now we see the consequences of our actions. It’s quite simple: no planet, no Christmas. The age of innocence is over. I write this with my toes tingling and my tonsils vibrating after the Cardiff day of action that saw thousands of people march from City Hall to the Senedd to demand actions, not greenwashing last month. We came together with a simple message: climate change is inevitable, climate crisis doesn’t have to be. Whilst consumer choices alone cannot halt climate crisis, they do make up part of the picture alongside Government policy and corporate accountability. We all have a part to play. It starts one day and one celebration at a time. Think local, independent, socially conscious choices this season, starting with the options below: Staying In Yule log: Naked Vegan, Cardiff Market throughout December. I bought this a week before Christmas last year thinking of a regular chocolatey evening treat until the big day. It lasted two days and my partner is convinced he ate a centimetre. Recommended. Buy five. Chocolate covered almonds, Cacao covered raisins: Ripple, Albany Road. Buy two bags of raisins to make sure you get one home. Don’t forget to bring your own jars to fill with goodies at this zero waste gem. Seasonal tea: Waterloo tea Mill Lane, Waterloo Gardens and Penarth. Small but perfectly formed bags perfect for relaxing evenings in front of the fire. For a mindful, ritualistic brew, head to Clancy’s in Cardiff Market for the most hypnotic
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jasmine flower tea to be found in Cardiff. Pop one in a glass mug for a display akin to a coral reef. Water Kefir from Absorb Health, Bridge Studios, Western Avenue. Kefir has 15 strains of probiotic and gut friendly yeast to help your inner workings survive December’s overindulgence. Even better, it’s as delicious as it is healthy. My favourite is made using lavender which looks phenomenal on the dining table (pictured). These are a great option for party perfect special soft drinks for those who, like me, don’t drink but want more from December tipples than sugar drowned Shloer. Getting holiday ready Clothes swaps: the best way to source party ready ‘new to you’ clothes. Pick up your staying in edible treats and invite your friends over, bag of clothes in tow. Self Care: ‘How Not to Die’ by Dr Michael Greger. Essential reading for anyone hoping to end the holiday season with more energy than they started with. Proceeds from sales go towards helping people in poverty access accurate nutritional information. Christmas trees: If your plastic tree looks tired, be sure to choose a pot grown living evergreen as your festive totem. It has taken 3 attempts, but we finally have a Christmas tree rooted to bring in this year. It takes up a lot of space in my dinky garden, but this minor inconvenience is miles better than the plastic landfill alternative. Decorations: Twin Made’s too cute sew your own tree decorations will help bring mindfulness to this festive (and frantic!) season. You can visit Twin Made and a plethora of other independent makers in the newly revamped Corporation Pub; it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas indeed. Eating Out Give oversubscribed chains with empty toilet roll holders a miss this year. And don’t forget to leave a tip… Wild Thing: Seasonal food, locally grown where possible. Even their coffee is socially conscious: ‘Redemption’ is the world’s first prison-based coffee company, and you can pick up a bag from Wild Thing to take home or present to your favourite caffeine addict. Kindle: Fairly new restaurant at the gates of Sophia Gardens serving ‘fire food’ with a focus on sustainable, natural ingredients. Neighbourhood: Cafe by day, street food by night that lets a
