Green Issue
How to enjoy a greener Christmas ‘Less is more’ is a mantra that’s rarely heard around Christmas. This year, show Planet Earth a little love with these five eco-friendly Christmas tips. from local farm shops and choose an organic, freerange turkey. Food tastes a lot better when you Rent, reuse or recycle a tree know where it’s come from! Every December, up to eight million Christmas Sadly, Christmas is also the most wasteful time of trees are bought in the UK alone, most of which the year, so make sure you only buy things that are dumped at the end of the season. That’s a lot you know will get eaten. If you get carried away, of waste! turn your leftovers into new meals, see how much Plastic trees last for years but take enormous you can fit in the freezer or donate to a local food amounts of energy to manufacture. Buying bank. pre-loved ones on eBay, Gumtree and Freecycle, Rethink your decorations however, is a great way to reuse what would From Christmas lights to candles, who would have otherwise be thrown away. thought that decorations could be bad for the If Christmas isn’t the same without that authentic environment? pine tree scent, why not rent a tree from a local Fortunately, something as simple as switching farm? After you’ve used it, it’ll be picked up and your incandescent lights to LEDs can cut energy replanted, ready for next year. usage by up to 80%! You don’t have to give up When buying new, look out for the ‘Grown in your candle collection either; look out for soy Britain’ label or FSC ‘seal of approval’, and find or beeswax candles, which don’t contain harmful drop-off points in your area where it can be paraffin wax. recycled once Christmas is over. The chances are you have Christmas decorations Buy second-hand rattling round in your attic, so don’t waste money Gifts don’t have to be new to bring a smile to – or materials – buying new ones. If you do, head someone’s face. Suggest a second-hand present to charity or vintage shops to find some pre-loved rule with family and friends this year, where you styles. only buy each other pre-loved gifts. Wrap sustainably These could be from a charity shop or websites We use over 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper over such as eBay. If you’re feeling crafty, you could even Christmas, much of which isn’t recyclable! whip up some gifts from home. Candles, jams and It’s depressing, but don’t lose hope. Try wrapping chutneys or knitted hats and scarves: get creative presents with old wallpaper, posters or newspapers, and see where your talents take you! and save the wrapping paper on your own gifts for Source locally grown food next year. We’re all guilty of buying – and eating – a little A great way to test if wrapping paper can be more food than we need at Christmas, so it’s recycled is to scrunch it up in your hands and important to make sure it’s coming from a then let it go. If the paper stays crumpled it can sustainable place. be recycled, but if it unfolds by itself it probably Instead of fighting over groceries in the contains non-recyclable elements. supermarket aisle, source your Christmas lunch
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