5 Ways To Make This Christmas Eco-Friendly

It’s that special time of year again, the time when family and friends are together celebrating the holiday season. By now you are probably thinking about decorating your home, what foods you’ll be supplying for your get-together or what gifts you are giving to your loved ones. While these questions are important, it is also important to think about how the decisions you make at this time of year may be impacting the environment. Not so surprisingly, this time of year is the most wasteful by an extra 30%! So, what can you do to change that might you ask? In this blog, we will go through 5 ways to make this Christmas eco-friendly without losing out on all the fun and good times this Christmas!

Gifting

GiftingGifting is usually at the top of everyone’s list when they think of Christmas, but a lot of the time, most gifts end up being picked last minute with not much thought put in. These gifts tend to be the ones that affect the planet the most! Instead of giving someone a gift with single-use plastics or poorly made products, opt for more eco-friendly options instead. Some alternatives could include:

• An experience
  A day out to the zoo, skydiving or a dinner date; whatever experience you choose will usually be a big hit with the receiver and will be a gift that keeps on giving! These types of gifts will also have lasting memories but without the excessive amounts of wrapping paper and materials getting thrown in the bin at the end of the day.

• Biodegradable or recyclable materials
  If you are wanting to get a gift like a toy, then opt for something that is made from biodegradable or recyclable materials. This will ensure that at the end of its life, it won’t be harmful to the environment!

• Reusable products
  If you are wanting to get the perfect gift for your loved ones to open that won’t hurt the environment and will last years, then look at getting them eco-friendly reusable products for their home! From reusable travel cutlery sets to retractable metal straws and even reusable make-up remover pads, there are bundles suitable for everyone. To check out some eco-friendly products, click here.

Christmas Tree

There’s nothing quite like putting up the Christmas tree with your family, but many trees out there are cheap and only last a year or two. This can mean that you are constantly disposing of your old tree to buy a new one, and the same goes for the Christmas tree decorations too! To make this Christmas more eco-friendly, using these alternative trees can help the environment and help keep money in your pocket.

• Felt Christmas Tree
  Felt Christmas trees can be really fun for the kids, plus you don’t get the added mess around your home that you usually would with a regular tree. The best part about the felt trees is that they can last a lifetime while also being able to add different themed decorations without throwing the old ones out!
  
• Real Tree
  An artificial tree cannot be recycled and can be harmful to the environment, but a real tree can be recycled, and while you’re at it, it also means you are supporting local businesses! While looking for a real Christmas tree, ensure that it has been sustainably grown!
  
• Potted tree
  If you have a green thumb, then buying a potted tree may be the way to go! By buying a small potted Christmas tree, you will be able to reuse it each year by repotting it, plus you get to say that you’ve grown the tree yourself!
  
• Eco-friendly Christmas decorations
  While you’re thinking about the tree, it is also important to think about the decorations you are going to put on it! Opting for reusable wooden decorations would be the way to go, but you can also find good quality baubles around too. It is best to go for the better quality baubles as these will be sure to last longer and cause less waste.

Christmas Food

Did you know that the main source of waste comes from the food, with roughly 5 million tonnes of food put into landfill each year at Christmas time which is 30% more waste than usual in Australia. Reducing the amount of food wasted can help the environment, but it can also be cheaper for you too.

A great way to reduce the amount of food wasted is to get each person to bring a plate of food to share that can be taken home or used the next day if it isn’t finished. Another alternative would be to plan ahead! If you can find out the number of people that would be coming over early on, you can plan how much food you’ll need, reducing the amount that gets wasted. If you are wanted to buy extra, just in case, it is best to buy something that can last a while on your shelf or in the freezer so the extra food won’t go to waste in case extra people don’t show up!

Wrapping Paper

Most wrapping paper cannot be recycled, yet many people don’t realise this. If you are wanting to wrap presents this year, then it’s best to get recycled wrapping paper to reduce the amount that goes into landfill. Another alternative would be to wrap presents with fabric instead of wrapping paper. Fabric can be used repeatedly while also looking great, with many colours and patterns to choose from.

Reusable Advent Calendar

Advent calendars are a hit with the kids but are often filled with plastic and sweets that will go into landfill and overhype the kiddies. By investing in a reusable advent calendar, you can reuse each year while also being able to choose what goes inside each box! From letters to gifts and even homemade sweets, the choices for filling the advent calendar is endless!

Make This Christmas Eco-Friendly

With these 5 ideas to make your Christmas eco-friendly, you’ll celebrate a more sustainable Christmas in no time! While you’re making your Christmas more eco-friendly, why not tell your family and friends so you can help the environment together? If you would like to find more ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, visit our FB page here or, alternatively, visit our website to view our range of eco-friendly products.