At Switch2Zero, it’s all about taking action, however small the first step may be. These steps might seem small individually, but lots of little changes add up to big things!
Christmas is just around the corner, so here are 5 top tips to reduce your carbon footprint going into the festive season.
1. Shop local for presents
Try to shop local whenever possible, it’s a surefire way to keep air miles low. Even if you want to order online, websites like Etsy let you select your location so you can choose presents that won’t be coming from too far away.
Christmas fairs and markets are another great way to shop local, and there will be plenty around at this time of year. You will be supporting local artists, artisans and small businesses, and it also means the person receiving the gift will get something really unique.
2. Try some alternatives to plastic gifts
At Christmas, plastic waste increases by around 30% compared to the rest of the year.1
For children, wooden toys are much better for the environment and can make a lovely sentimental gift. Another great idea is to gift an experience – there is something out there for absolutely everyone. Meals out, golf days, driving a James Bond car, spa treatments, cocktail-making classes, hot air ballooning, you name it, there is probably a ‘red letter day’ experience to go and do it!
You could also avoid advent calendars which contain plastic! Making a reusable advent calendar with your family could be a really nice way to teach your kids about the importance of sustainability, and it’s a lovely tradition to start. Alternatively, there are lots of plastic-free advent calendars available online.
3. Look for packaging that can be recycled or is biodegradable – and shop online with companies who are doing something about their carbon footprint
Most packaging these days has recycling information on it so when selecting which brand of goods to purchase, factor in how easily recyclable the packaging is. If some of your planned purchases aren’t as sustainable as you’d hoped, maybe try something new and seek out other brands with more forward-thinking packaging ideas – you might discover a new favourite! Or send an email to your preferred brand’s head office or customer services address. They might not be able to change what they do in time for Xmas 2023, but you can always ask what their future plans are for making their packaging more environmentally friendly.
For items you order online, what kind of packaging do they come in? Going a step further, does the company do anything to offset their carbon emissions when it comes to manufacturing or transporting their goods to you? Check out the environmental credentials of the companies you buy from and support the ones who are trying to minimise their own carbon footprint.
4. Avoid buying Christmas cards with shiny foil or glitter
Some people like to donate money to a chosen charity and wish friends and family a Merry Christmas via social media or by email, and this is certainly a very low carbon way to send greetings.
However, many of us still like to send and receive physical Christmas cards, so look for ones which can be recycled after the festive season rather than sent to landfill. This means no glitter or shiny foil as these cannot be recycled. Ideally look for cards made from SFI- or FSC-approved paper (Sustainable Forestry Initiative / Forest Stewardship Council) or, even better, made from recycled paper.
If you receive lots of cards that are shiny this year, cut off the front side before recycling the rest. Perhaps you could keep them and make some of your own cards or gift tags for next year, or a local school might take them for crafting.
Similarly, avoid shiny/foil wrapping paper as this also can’t be recycled. Waste Collection Company PHS claims that approximately 227,000 miles of wrapping paper is thrown away each year in the UK.2 That’s almost all the way to the moon!!
5. Think about what kind of tree you buy this year … or borrow one!
There is always a debate about whether real trees or fake trees are worse for the environment. The truth is that you would need to use an artificial tree 10-12 times for it to equate – in terms of carbon footprint – with having a real, cut Christmas tree for each of those 12 years. This is partly due to the emissions created in the manufacturing and transportation of an artificial tree, as most are made in China, from plastic, PVC and metal, and also will not be recyclable at the end of its life so will end up in landfill.
A real tree will usually take 10-12 years to grow to the popular height of 6ft, and over that time it will have been a habitat for wildlife, as well as capturing carbon from the atmosphere. In the USA, according to the National Christmas Tree Association, close to 350 million Christmas trees are being grown on Christmas Tree farms in the US, in all 50 states. In the UK, the majority of real trees sold are UK-grown, with some being imported from Europe, particularly Norway.
Local authorities or recycling programmes often offer a collection service whereby the tree will be chipped for mulching, composting, or as a fuel source. Alternatively you could just rent a living tree! Tree ‘hire’ schemes have been becoming more and more popular in recent times. Enjoy it over the festive period, then have it taken away and replanted for the rest of the year – just look up ‘renting a Christmas tree’ and see what is available in your local area.
In the end …
Christmas is all about giving and receiving, festive fun, time away from work celebrating with friends and loved ones. So as we sing carols such as ‘Joy to the World’, let’s seek to spread joy in a way that will benefit our planet as well as the people on it.
1 https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2022/12/plastic-free-christmas-presents/
2 https://phswastekit.co.uk/blog/posts/20-11-2018/how-much-waste-does-the-festive-season-create
