Go greener for Christmas 2021
Rise to challenge of a more sustainable festive season
We should all be thinking both practically and creatively about how best to support our planet and a more sustainable future, and Christmas is a time when it’s possible to make a real impact.
From buying second-hand items or choosing sustainable products and avoiding companies that aren’t eco-friendly, to eating less meat and using up all left-overs .... every little really does help.
Recycle Christmas trees too. If going for an imitation tree why not buy a pre-loved one, or for real trees, choose one with roots that can be replanted. Maybe rent a tree from a garden centre offering the service. A plant makes a great Christmas gift and will last. And no need to give a selection of presents - just give one meaningful one. Try making your own gifts and cards and add to the sentiment behind them.
So much wrapping paper contains plastic, so switch to eco friendly wrap, or use material or even scarves, which could add to the gift itself.
We all need to make change where we can.
Three mums who met at the school gates and formed a sustainable company, have launched The Green Christmas Challenge, in a bid to limit the impact of Christmas on our environment and to spread the message of positive change.
We all spend more in the festive season, it seems, with the Bank of England saying a typical UK household spends on average 29 per cent more than in any other month on both gifts and celebrations.
On average, two gifts both given or received will be unwanted, with 19 per cent of them ending up in landfill. Sadly, the children’s toys topping the lists in 2021 are still mostly made from plastic.
Lisa Hobley Walker, a founder of sustainable online shop Always Forever Green, said: “We know the enormity of the climate crisis can be overwhelming. We also know the impact that Christmas can have on the environment, in purchases but also in the delivery footprint associated with this increase in consumption.” Taking part in The Green Christmas Challenge is easy: Consider a minimum four items on your Christmas list. Find a more sustainable alternative, swap with your original item and purchase. Share your items on social media and encourage others to do the same with the hashtag #mygreenchristmas
Chocolate, too, is a big part of Christmas for many people.
Divine Chocolate, the only Fairtrade chocolate company to be co-owned by cocoa farmers, has a delicious Christmas range which promises to help fight exploitation within the cocoa industry.
Included in Divine’s line-up are advent calendars in milk and dark chocolate. Shop at Traidcraft, Waitrose, Divine Online, Ocado, or Oxfam. There are scores of products and, as with all of Divine’s range, the chocolate is Fairtrade. The company is not only a Fairtrade leader, but also a multi award-winning social enterprise.