Easter is a season centred around rebirth, renewal and the springing back to life of nature after the dark winter months.
Whether you are celebrating Easter for religious reasons, or just enjoy the ancient tradition of gifting an egg as a sign of new life, it’s a time when the past gets put aside with the hope for a better tomorrow.
At Switch2Zero we definitely believe in the latter - and particularly that all of us can do our bit towards reducing our impact on nature - as well as that environmental responsibility needn't diminish the joy of tradition.
So, this Easter, why not embrace a dual focus? Indulge in the festivities with a conscious effort towards reducing our impact on the planet.
Embrace sustainability with our practical tips of a reduced carbon footprint this Easter, and or contribute to a brighter future via eco-friendly easter gifts like tree-planting or ocean plastic removal.
Let's make this Easter a celebration of faith, tradition, and environmental stewardship, woven together with a touch of feel-good sustainable living!
Top tips from sustainable easter gifts to greener chocolate eggs.
1. DIY Eco-Friendly Easter Decorations: Get creative and make your own Easter decorations using recycled materials. Create eggshell planters for spring flowers, decorate recycled jars as candle holders, or craft bunting from old fabric scraps.
2. Opt for Ethical Easter Eggs: When buying chocolate eggs, look for brands that prioritise ethical and sustainable practices. Choose products that are Fairtrade certified, organic, and/or made with responsibly sourced cocoa to support ethical production methods. And also - killjoy alert - consider how many eggs to buy…how many do your kids and family really need. Each choco egg has a footprint, so even just reducing the number by a third does make a difference.
3. Have a go at a Low-Carbon Easter Meal: When planning your Easter feast, see how much of the food you can source locally (reducing transport miles and supporting local producers), and use seasonal ingredients to reduce the carbon footprint of your meal. Consider incorporating more plant-based dishes and minimising food waste by planning portions carefully.
4. Swap Plastic for Reusables: Instead of using disposable plastic plates, cutlery, and cups for your Easter gathering, switch to reusable alternatives - there’s tons of sustainably produced bamboo products on the market now, for example. Invest in durable tableware that can be washed and used for future celebrations, reducing single-use plastic waste. And the same goes for plastic-wrapped food - avoid if you can!
5. Give Eco-Friendly Easter Gifts: Instead of traditional Easter gifts, consider giving eco-friendly alternatives such as potted plants, reusable water bottles, or DIY homemade treats. These gifts not only reduce waste but also promote sustainability and environmental awareness. You can have too many eggs you know…well, just.
Plus - you could always consider offsetting the cost of all the driving done over Easter as you visit friends and family - use S2Z’s Vehicle Emissions Calculator to see just how little it could cost.
Easter celebrations are a great time to be thankful for our world - so this year, let’s all try just a little bit to make sure what we do doesn’t end up costing the Earth.
A few little changes are all that’s needed to be a bit greener this Easter - and that’s definitely something the Easter Bunny would approve of.
