The Christmas season is the perfect time to be part of the movement towards a more sustainable future. So, if you’re dreaming of a green Christmas, check out our top tips for a more responsible festive season:
1. Support Local Businesses
Nowadays, it’s possible to purchase nearly anything you want, from anywhere in the world and in a short time. However, we rarely stop to think about the journey that an item makes before we can hold it in our hands. This journey is often accompanied by a large carbon footprint and a negative impact on our environment. Shopping locally is not only more sustainable, but will also support local businesses.
2. Be mindful of the origins of your gifts
At Christmas we tend to buy gifts without thinking about where they are actually coming from. Responsible Christmas also means being aware of the origins of your gifts. Try to have a closer look at where and how the items you buy were produced. If possible, try to go for shops with certificates that guarantee that no environmental or child exploitation was involved in the manufacture of their products.
3. Try going Zero Waste
When it comes to Christmas shopping, a lot of shops are still using a lot of packaging material and are handing out plastic bags to customers. This contributes to a large amount of waste and to the overall problem of plastic pollution. As a responsible customer, try to always carry reusable bags and to not buy products which are unnecessarily wrapped.
4. Gift Experiences
Sometimes we gift material objects just for the sake of giving, when they are actually not really needed. If you don’t know what to buy, why not think of gifting experiences? For example, tickets for the theater, a concert, a museum or a sporting event. Or perhaps an interesting workshop, nice dinner in a special place or weekend getaway. Thereby, you could also experience things together and spend more time with your loved ones.
5. Rethink Lighting
One of the must-haves during the festive season is, of course, Christmas lighting. Every year, the streets and our houses are covered in lights. In order to reduce energy consumption, choose LED or energy-saving lights. An even better alternative is to decorate your home with candles, which can be a very warm and elegant option. Another option could be to use sunlight as a source of energy for your Christmas lighting. If you are using battery-powered lights, make sure to always use rechargeable batteries. Remember that a single battery can contaminate up to 3000 liters of water and can take between 500 and 1000 years to degrade.