5 WAYS TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS
With Christmas often ending with a bin full of unrecyclable materials, including wrapping paper, glittery cards and an abundance of food and drink packaging, it often leaves many with a sad guilt that they didn’t do more to try and be a little kinder to the planet. Get prepared for the festive season with our 5 top tips for a more future-focused Christmas.
No Waste Wrapping
The best part of Christmas day for most adults and children is tearing open your pile of gifts that wait under the tree. Fancy wrapping paper may not be able to go in the recycling bin, but always remember that if wrapped well, and opened neatly, it can be reused for next year. There are many micro-plastics and non-biodegradable materials in gift wrap, so make sure they aren’t going straight to landfill.
If you aren’t into the second-hand wrapping paper idea, consider eco-friendly papers when doing your Christmas shop. We all have that one person who waits eagerly with a black bin bag to collect the scraps left over from the carnage of Christmas morning, just make sure it’s a recycling bag instead.
The sustainable paperware brand Storigraphic costs only £3 for their 100% recyclable wrapping paper roll, meaning being greener doesn’t have to break the bank. We believe retailers have a responsibility to help towards sustainable practices, which is why our luxury furniture brand Bazaar London have created reusable packing for their beautiful new bed linen range.
The Gift of Giving Less
Gift shopping, the part of Christmas that can feel like it’s breaking the bank. Despite the temptation to sweep the shelves of Toys R Us for your children, Santa may have some more sustainable ideas. If you are worried about the impact of over-buying on plastic filled toys, why not try buying less but buying better from independent, eco-friendly brands.
Shopping with smaller, independent brands has less of an impact on the environment than it does shopping with larger retailers. This is because often, products can be locally made and don't have to travel far to reach their destination, something we don’t always think of when filling our trollies at Christmas.
If you want to gift even kinder, you can also purchase presents from your local charity shops, supporting those in need as well as reducing your carbon footprint.
Share the Sparkle
We can all be guilty of buying our office Christmas party frock and probably never wearing it again, but we don’t always consider the impact that can have.
‘It is estimated that 7 million sequinned garments will end up in landfill this Christmas season and won’t ever biodegrade. If everyone wore a rented sequin look this winter, we’d save the equivalent of 2 Olympic size swimming pools filled with sequins from going to landfill.’ – By Rotation
Companies like ByRotation and Hurr allow people to rent clothing for a certain amount of time and at a fraction of the price if you were to buy the item. You can also rent your own clothes on there to get a paid a fee.
Real vs Fake
There is nothing better than filling up your home with cinnamon, mulled wine and home cooking scents to really get into the Christmas mood. A real Christmas tree can only add to this cosy aroma. Contrary to popular beliefs, a real Christmas tree is better for the planet than buying a long-lasting artificial tree. This is because industrial emissions from making the trees cause the planet harm, also as well as the obvious of these being made from plastic! When they are thrown away, they go straight to landfill. We know it seems sad that real trees are cut down so we can showcase them in our living room, but more are planted each year to be able to do this.
Buy local
If you can, look to your local vegetable markets, independent butchers and Christmas tree farms for your festive produce. Not only will they appreciate the support, but you’ll be reducing food miles and helping the glutenous season feel a little less so.
When it comes to doing more for the planet, every little really does help. We hope these 5 tips have given you some ideas if you are looking to be a little kinder to nature this Christmas. To read more about how we are trying to be a force for good in our industry, head to our responsibility page.
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