Pop Up Xmas Tree Card via WikiHow
With Christmas just a few weeks away, this is the perfect time to consider and implement some easy initiatives to make your festive season a sustainable and environmentally friendly one. Here are a few simple ideas to help you along the way:
1. Instead of contributing to the millions of metres of gift-wrap used and discarded each Christmas season, presenting gifts in reusable decorated jars, boxes, textile bags or decorated newspaper can make sustainable AND beautiful alternatives to single-use bleached and dyed commercial wrapping-papers (that often can’t be recycled due to the metallic content). If wrapping-paper does make an appearance under your Christmas tree this year, be friendly when eagerly revealing your gift; keep the paper in good condition so it can be reused for next year.
2. With food being an integral element to brining everyone together over Christmas, it is often one of the most wasteful times of the year in regards to leftovers. Get creative in the kitchen following the big day. There are some amazing recipe ideas for Christmas leftovers. Here are a few sites to help:
Channel 4 UK Chefs Christmas Leftovers
Taste Australia Christmas Leftovers
Busy Cooks Christmas Leftovers
Any appropriate food which is not used can be added to a compost waste bucket – to help give you some nutrient rich soil in the garden!
3. Support local business and buy local products. This is a great way to offset carbon footprints which rise from the large amount of international transportation and heavy product packaging with the importation of Christmas gifts.
4. If you want to give a gift that will truly keep on giving, check out the links below. With gifts ranging from as little as $15, these gift options pose as an alternative to traditional gifts, but can provide others with experiences and opportunities that will last a lifetime.
Tags: Christmas, food, presents, sustainability, waste, wrapping
