An Eco-Friendly Christmas
Decorations
Use decorations you already have. Plastic-free decorations look nice but why buy when you can use your old plastic decorations and not throw them away?
If you have to throw them away, dispose of them responsibly. The UK councils often tell us what kind of items to put in the recycling to make it easier but I find it better to go by material. Plastic and metal, paper/cardboard. Always check any labels as some plastics can not be recycled or can not be recycled in the normal roadside collection. Take broken lights to the tip.
Don't buy a Christmas tree. But if you must, try to buy a real one that has been grown in sustainable sources, dispose of resonsibly or rent a living Christmas Tree.
Buy eco-friendly, secondhand decorations or from local businesses. Try Etsy and Depop. Sustainable decorations.
Do not buy decorations with glitter or plastic packagaing. Glitter is a harmful microplastic. Be careful of greenwashing in the shops. Eco friendly products wrapped in plastic!
Buy new decorations that can be easily recycled at the end of its life or made from sustainable material such as bamboo.
Don't use too many lights.
Don't take or post too many pictures of your decorations. Images stored in "the cloud", or like from others on social media are stored on servers which is using electrial sources which are harmful to the environment.
Have an advent candle rather than an advent calendar.
Always buy local to avoid the carbon footprint.
Buy directly from the shop rather than online. This avoids delivery carbon footprint and waste of packaging.
Make your own. Here is a link to making your own Christmas decorations:
Gifts
Buy from local businesses.
Buy plastic free. Be careful of greenwashing in the shops. Eco friendly products wrapped in plastic!
Buy from eco-friendly and sustainable businesses. (i.e. not Amazon!)
Buy directly from the shop rather than online. This avoids delivery carbon footprint and waste of packaging.
Send a gift voucher.
Make your own products. Here are some links to making your own Christmas gifts:
Don't send Christmas cards. Or send biodegradable, vegan, recycled Christmas cards made with seeds that you can plant and use all year round.
Here are some places to buy gifts from online:
- https://plasticfreedom.co.uk/
- https://www.theplasticfreeshop.co.uk/
- https://www.peacewiththewild.co.uk/
- https://shoppompom.com/ (Children's toys and gifts)
- https://ecovibe.co.uk/
- https://chateaudusavon.com/
Gift Wrapping
- Use old wrapping you already have
- Do not buy wrapping with glitter.
- Use plain, brown paper.
- Use string.
- Use recycled wrapping paper.
- Wrap in a scarf.
- Save wrapping paper/bags when you have gifts and reuse them
Christmas outfits.
- Reuse what you have.
- Buy secondhand. I buy from Depop and look in charity shops.
- Buy clothes from recycled fibres. H&M have a good range and they also will take any old clothes and recycle them. Look for the green label in the shop or buy online.
- Buy clothes made from sustainable matieral: linen, organic cotton, wool and hemp.
Food
- Bake and buy plant based where possible
- Buy from local businesses
- Try to buy food in recycable packaging. This is by far my biggest challenge. It is the only time I tend to buy plastic but try to make sure I can at least recycle it. For example, yoghurt pots which are black and white can not be recycled.
Internet Usage
- Don't post too much on social media. As noted above, your pictures stored on your phone/computer and pictures put on social media which are then liked, shared and viewed are stored in servers that are bad for the environment. Try to do your bit.
References:
https://eco-age.com/magazine/eco-friendly-christmas-tree-buying-guide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_electricity_generation
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