Getting Green for the Enviro Team at Christmas

Looking for a sustainable and eco Christmas? How about trying a few of these great Christmas tips.

Presents

A few suggestions for presents:

  • Look at experiences rather than presents. Going to places and experiencing things can have more of an impact than something that may only be used once or twice.
  • Think about quality not quantity. Try to look for things that will last rather then provide short term entertainment.
  • Look for local gifts. Easy way to work on your impact is looking locally for your gifts. Local handmade gifts are also usually made if more care and will last longer.
  • Thinking about wrapping your presents, try using magazines or recycled paper. Keeping and using Christmas wrap from previous years can also save you in the long term as well.

Food

Having a Christmas banquet? Maybe think about a few of these:

  • Look to local and seasonal fruit and vege. Tis the season for local fruits and vegetables. Mangos and lychees are coming out and well as well as the stone fruits. Don’t forget beans, pumpkins and asian vegetables are all out and available.
  • Thinking about seafood remember to support the local fish mongers but if that is a bit harder aim for local MSC approved seafood or ASC certified farmed seafood.
  • Think about your quantities and remember Boxing day is a great time to get together with your friends and share your leftovers.
  • Try to aim for a few more plant based dishes instead of meat and remember that everyone loves potatoes in roasts as chips or as a salad.

Decorations

Still got to get your decorations sorted? Maybe try the following:

  • If you need a tree take one of two paths, aim for a local cut pine tree. Once they start to die off they can be mulched or placed in your green bins after Christmas. The other option is to aim for a one off spend and get a plastic tree but if you are doing this go for a second hand one and use it more than once.
  • Try making your own decorations using coloured paper or look for second hand ones and reuse them over the next few years.
  • Avoid cheap plastics. Get out your knives and forks and avoid the plastic ones. If you need to aim for wood cutlery and paper plates that you can put in the compost after woods.
  • With your lights aim for Solar or LED lights and work on buying for the long term not just as a one off. Again, look to marketplace and recycle other people’s older lights.

Other things for the day:

  • Take a break and go for a walk between meals. It’s good for the body and good for the mind.
  • Get close to nature at the beach and remember to” take three for the sea”. Removing a couple of pieces of rubbish when you go somewhere will leave the place just a little bit nicer.
  • Enjoy the time with your family and avoid the devices for the day. That said Don’t forget you talk to the family overseas. Skype and Zoom are a great way to hangout when distance is a problem.