Christmas 2020 – the time where we’re all eventually getting some well-deserved ‘normality’. If this year has taught us anything, it’s to never take anything for granted, and our planet shouldn’t be one of them. As a sustainable and eco-friendly brand, we’ve put together three kinder ways to treat the planet this Christmas.
- Let’s wrap things up differently
You might not know, but those beautifully-wrapped presents in foil or glitter paper can’t be recycled. According to Wayst, 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper will be thrown out or burnt, which is enough to gift-wrap the island of Jersey.
So, why not try something different? You could shred the paper you can’t recycle and use it to pop in a gift bag, or to protect presents in a box (if you’re not sure whether the wrapping paper is recyclable, use the scrunch test – foil or glitter-decorated paper can’t scrunch, so it has to go in the general waste). And as an alternative for wrapping paper, use something like brown paper, which you can draw on for decoration. You could decorate it with things from outside too, like pine cones. You could even make your wrapping reusable, by using something like a scarf. You don’t need to use tape (which also isn’t recyclable) and the receiver can use it in the future.
- Don’t send Christmas cards
Did we really just say that? Yes, yes we did. While Christmas cards are a thoughtful gesture, they count for a lot of waste, with one billion ending up in the bin. Why don’t you send an email or a video of yourself to everyone as an alternative? They can keep it forever instead.
If you’re feeling generous, you could donate the money you were going to spend on cards to a charity close to your heart.
- Put up decorations with a difference
If you decorate the house yearly with the same decorations, you’re on the right track – just make sure any lights you’re putting up are LED, as they’re 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lights.
If you’re wanting to do something a little different this year, why not look at creating your own decorations? Head out to a local park for a day and pick up things like pine cones and holly to create your own wreath or baubles for the tree. If you have kids, this is a great way to get them involved and it’ll feel a lot more satisfactory knowing the hard work that’s gone into it all.
How are you helping the planet this Christmas? Let us know in the comments.