Challenge Yourself to a Zero Waste Christmas

The most wonderful time of the year can be wasteful if you’re not careful. No, we’re not coming over all Grinch. We’re just saying that it’s tempting to go overboard at this time of year. However, it is possible to have a zero-waste Christmas without missing out on any of the fun.

Zero Waste Christmas Gifting

How do you have a zero waste Christmas when everyone wants to buy you stuff or they want you to buy them stuff? It’s the ‘stuff’ that’s the problem. Look at your closet, your garage, and your loft. Probably crammed with things you loved at one time. This year, why not make a change?

Ask for, or give, gifts that are sustainable, reusable, or just different. Gift your bestie a lovely reusable travel mug. Make a thoughtful charity donation on someone’s behalf. Gift them an experience rather than more stuff. Zero waste Christmas gifting is possible!

Cut down on food waste

If you really want a zero waste Christmas, do everything you can to cut down on food waste. We waste an eye-watering 270,000 tonnes of food on average during the festive season. Included in that are 2 million turkeys, 5 million Christmas puddings, and 74 million mince pies.

To cut down on Christmas food waste, don’t get tempted to overbuy, no matter how amazing the 3 for 2 offers look. Write a shopping list and stick to it. Plan the meals you’ll make from your leftovers and make good use of your freezer.

Zero Waste Christmas Tree and Decorations

A real Christmas tree can be messy, but it’s a better option than an artificial one. Many local authorities accept Christmas trees for recycling. Once Christmas is over, your real tree is chipped for use in playgrounds or used as firewood. Artificial trees are made from plastic, so they’ll end up in landfills. If an artificial tree is your only option, try to get as many years out of it as you can.

When it comes to zero waste Christmas decorations, the world is your oyster. Don’t go out and buy lots of cheap and cheerful plastic decorations. Instead, get your craft box out and head online. There are some amazing tutorials on how to make everything from wreaths to tree decorations, and garlands. All made from things you probably already have at home. Why not spend a cold wintery afternoon with the kids staying cosy and creating things?

We hope we’ve given you some easy ideas on how to have a zero-waste Christmas. For more interesting articles on all things sustainability, check out the rest of our blog.