Here are our top tips to make your Christmas a little greener...

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Sustainable gifts

This year many people are opting for environmentally friendly presents and there are loads of great options out there. Here are some of our favourite ideas:

• Subscriptions that relate to their interests and hobbies, such as Audible for book lovers
• Choose local products that are biodegradable or made from recycled materials 
• Choose natural beauty products that aren’t packaged in plastic
• Eco-friendly hampers are a great way to help your loved ones kick start their zero-waste lifestyle 
• Donate to charity rather than giving a gift
• ‘Re-gifting’ presents is ok, it may make the perfect gift for someone else you know
• Make sure you avoid gifts that contain batteries

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Choose the right wrapping paper

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Many store-bought wrapping papers contain non-recyclable elements such as foil, glitter or plastic. Although a lot of people save their paper to use again next year, it is not the most sustainable method.

Instead, opt for recycled brown paper which has become increasingly popular over recent years and looks great. Knot wraps are another good alternative that come in a wide range of colours and patterns and can be used again and again. 

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Minimise lighting displays

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Less is more when it comes to lighting, so keep your displays simple and save on your electricity bill. LED holiday lights are a great option as they can use up to 95% less energy than larger, traditional bulbs and can last up to 100,000 hours when used indoors. 

Another easy habit to get into is turning off all your holiday lights before you go to bed, leaving them on will simply waste a lot of energy and can also be a fire hazard.

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Don’t be wasteful with food

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The amount of food we waste every day is shocking, and this only gets worse over the Christmas period when temptation is everywhere. It can be hard when you constantly have visitors over the festive period but anywhere you can cut back will massively help with waste reduction. 

Ensure the food scraps you do create are composted or build a Wormery in your garden to help break down the vegetable food waste into rich soil nutrition.

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Think twice before you buy a new outfit

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Second to oil, the clothing and textile industry is the largest polluter in the world and also poses many ethical issues.

Before you jump online and order a new outfit for every holiday event consider what you already have or hit the thrift and vintage stores. If you don’t have time to get to the store, there are many websites where you can get second hand items online such as Depop and Ebay. Plus it will save you heaps of money!

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We hope these easy swaps and tips will help you have a more environmentally friendly Christmas. Let us know what you’re doing this year to celebrate the holiday season