The festive period is always a time when households create more waste than usual. We have put together some easy ways you can ditch single-use plastic and create less waste, whilst also saving money.
Decorations Don’t Need To Be Wasteful
Reuse What You Have: It can be very tempting to buy new decorations each year, however it is far more sustainable to reuse decorations you already have. This saves the planet, and saves you money!
Focus On Sustainable Decorations: Rather than plastic tinsel, why not choose recyclable options like paper chains? It can be rewarding to make your own sustainable decorations with your family and friends; a fun activity to do together whilst also being eco-conscious.
Christmas Trees: If you have an artificial tree then you can easily waste less by reusing it each year. However, if you prefer a real tree you can either make sure you recycle your tree correctly following the Christmas period; or even better buy a pot grown tree that can grow and be decorated again year after year.
Focus on sustainable gift giving
Eco Stocking Fillers: You can give gifts to help your loved ones be more sustainable for the following year. Reusable bottles, lunchboxes, coffee cups, beeswax wraps and more are all great stock fillings that make great gifts and are great for the planet.
Buy Secondhand: Unique gifts do not have to be new. Buying things second hand, from charity shops or online, can be an ethical and environmentally friendly way to give gifts this year.
Wrapping: Tape is a plastic nightmare. We all go through lengths and lengths of tape every festive season but it doesn’t break down, cant be recycled, and is ultimately bad for the planet. The good news is, there are alternatives to tape when it comes to wrapping! Ribbons can be used again and again. Paper tape is a good alternative to plastic. Twine or string can also be a good option when it comes to ditching plastic.
Use up your leftovers
Be Recipe Smart: Food waste is a huge issue at Christmas. Each UK household spends about £169 on food shopping for Christmas, with seven-in-10 people admitting to buying more food than they need.* A great, and tasty way to cut down on your food waste is to focus on recipes, on the days immediately following Christmas, that use up left overs. Love Food, Hate Waste, is a great website where you can type in your ingredients and get lots of recipes. This not only saves you money by using up the food you’ve bought, but also cuts down on your waste!
Composting: You can also reduce your food waste by composting your veggie peelings. Its good for your garden and good for the planet!
Remove Plastic From Your Table
Do The Dishes: Remove plastic from your dinner table by not using disposable table cloths, napkins, plates, cups, or cutlery. While it can be tempting to use plastic to prevent washing up, ditching plastic is the best way to make your Christmas more sustainable.
DIY Crackers: Avoid plastic toys that are thrown away instantly by filling your own crackers. DIY cracker packs are cheaper to buy than boxes of crackers and can be a thoughtful way to treat your guests by filling them with more personal items.
We love to hear your ideas and thoughts, so please let us know how you are cutting down on Christmas waste this year!
*How to reduce waste at Christmas, April 2021. https://www.yorwaste.co.uk/how-to-reduce-waste-at-christmas/
