Sustainability at Christmas
Christmas has become synonymous with excess and materialism in today’s society. And that sadly generates huge amounts of waste and a significant impact on the environment. Are you keen to strip consumerism out of the festive period? Would you like to shift the focus to quality time rather than meaningless gifts this Christmas? Here are my top tips for a simpler Christmas, that is kinder on the environment, too.
The Impact of Christmas on the Environment
It is a sad fact that the festive period causes a sharp increase in waste and carbon dioxide emissions. Some estimates suggest that our Christmas traditions generate 30% more waste than is produced at any other time of year. And a per capita increase of 650kg of CO2 over the holidays. That is absolutely staggering.
The most shocking part of this for me, is just how far removed our current behaviours are from the original meaning of Christmas. Whether you have a Christian faith or not, it is plain to see that love, joy and hope cannot be purchased or gift-wrapped. As a global society, we have been completely brainwashed by clever marketing and advertising.
I believe that there is a better way. An alternative to over-consumption which will actually leave you more fulfilled. A different path which does not decimate our planet.
Gifting
Gifts generally come from a well-intentioned place. Most people want to be kind and generous. However, gifting to others stretches tight budgets. And it can be a challenge to find a thoughtful, meaningful present that demonstrates a good knowledge of the recipient.
So it is no great surprise that so many people resort to generic personal care gift sets, or gift cards for high street shops.
Did you know that as many as 20% of gifts are considered “unwanted” by the recipient, and end up in landfill?
Does gifting in this way really bring a warm and fuzzy feeling to the giver? Does the recipient feel know and understood when they unwrap yet another Lynx Africa gift set? I think not.
So why do we keep doing this, year after year? Here are some ideas for doing things differently this Christmas.
Opt out of gift exchanges
Try asking some of your friends or more distant relatives if you could agree not to buy gifts this Christmas. Perhaps donate the money you would have spent to a mutually-agreed charity instead. Or plan to meet up for a coffee and catch-up over the festive period.
Chances are, they are also wondering whether they could reduce the number of gifts they have to buy this year. By broaching the topic, you would be doing everyone a favour.
Experiences over things
You may still wish to treat some of your nearest and dearest to something for Christmas. Could you plan a family day out, or even a few days away, instead of buying a gift? Or perhaps even a nice meal out followed by bowling or the cinema? Quality time spent together trumps gifts every single time.
Handmade gifts
Do you have a crafty skill or hobby? Perhaps you’re a dab hand at sewing, or maybe you’re a whizz at making jams and preserves. Set up a production line and gift your friends a family something home-made this year. It will require more effort on your part, but you will likely save yourself a significant amount of money. And your gifts will almost certainly be more environmentally-friendly than anything you might have otherwise purchased.
Wrapping
Single-use wrapping paper, bows, ribbons and gift bags contributes significantly to the Christmas waste that ends up in landfill.
My in-laws are relatively environmentally aware. But year after year, they insist on purchasing foiled wrapping paper as one of the “treats” they allow themselves. Seemingly, a year or two ago, some of this foiled wrapping paper ended up in our compost heap. We found it when digging out one of the compost bays a few years ago, after it had been left for over a year. The photograph above shows that many months in hot composting conditions has not degraded this wrapping paper in any way.
By continuing to use plasticated or foiled wrap, humans are adding to the permanent scar that landfill waste is creating on our planet. It will never break down.
Even ordinary wrapping paper requires trees to be felled and energy to turn those trees into pretty patterned paper. And it is generally single-use and sent to landfill rather than recycled.
So, if you are preparing gifts for loved ones, please take time to consider your choice of wrapping. Do you really need to wrap the gift at all? Could you invest in, or make yourself, some reusable gift wrap? Or if you really want to use wrapping paper, recycled and recyclable options are by far the most sustainable (just make sure you re-use if you can, or recycle if not).
Donating and Regifting
Have you ever received a gift which was not to your taste? Did you agonise over what to do with it? Whether to keep it in a cupboard, just in case the giver ever asked about it. Or to simply put it in the bin and have done with it.
Here’s how I feel about unwanted gifts.
The giver has taken the time to select and wrap a present. That part of the gift-giving process likely brought them joy.
I can appreciate their act of generosity without needing to store unwanted items in my home. So, if there is an event or occasion in the next couple of weeks, then I will hang onto an item with a view to regifting it. Otherwise, gifts in this category are donated to one of the local charity shops.
Feasting
Christmas brings out the greedy and glutenous side of most of us! Sadly, eating far more than we need comes at significant cost to the environment. Here are some ideas for a Christmas feast that’s kinder on the planet.
Flexitarian
Rearing animals for human consumption is associated with a significant carbon footprint. We don’t need the global population to go vegan to remedy this, but reigning in the consumption of animal products is key from a sustainability standpoint.
By all means, if you choose to consume meat, have your meaty main event on Christmas Day. But instead of serving multiple additional animal products alongside it, pad your meal out with tasty plant-based options. Lots of roasted vegetables, red cabbage and onion, a well-seasoned sage and onion stuffing, cauliflower cheese; the possibilities are endless!
If you need some inspiration, here is my usual line-up for Christmas dinner.
Do a few things well
Food waste is a huge problem. So many resources go into food production. The carbon footprint associated with wasted food is astronomical, especially at Christmas.
Why do we all need to cook so much food? Far more than most families are likely to consume in a single day.
I implore you: take the pressure off yourself to prepare and provide so many dishes for your friends and family on Christmas Day. Choose your favourites, and do these few things well. Nobody is going to starve because you haven’t provided four different types of potato.
Decorations
Plastic Christmas trees are not great for the environment. They inevitably end up in landfill.
But buying a real tree each year is much worse. Did you know that it takes approximately 10 years to grow a Christmas tree. These are cut down, used for a single season, and then taken to landfill after Christmas. There are schemes now to assist people in recycling their trees, though this is still incredibly wasteful.
A pot-grown tree will provide the aesthetic of a real tree, without the waste. Though, you will need to keep it alive in an outdoor space for the remainder of the year, and find somewhere to plant it once it grows too big to bring inside!
Whichever tree you chose, consider timeless decorations for it, rather than pursuing a fashionable aesthetic. Try to keep gimmicky, single-use decorations to a minimum.
Christmas Cards
Christmas cards are commonly exchanged to send festive greetings, and often include a brief letter with family updates, allowing distant friends and relatives to keep in touch.
Sadly, these festive missives often end up in landfill, contributing to Christmas waste.
Do you need to exchange Christmas cards with people that you see everyday? Could you arrange to meet up for a coffee and catch up in person instead?
For the cards that you do receive, see whether you can cut out any designs from the front of the card, and use these as gift tags next year. Put any trimmings that are left in your recycling, rather than your general waste bin.
I hope you have enjoyed these ideas for a Christmas season that does not cost the Earth! Leave me a comment if you try these ideas out, or if there is anything you think I may have overlooked.
