UK’s Environment Agency offers 12 tips for greener Christmas

11 / 12 / 2021

• contribute to solution
• news

The UK’s Environment Agency offered 12 tips for a sustainable and greener Christmas in order to protect the planet in view of the recommendations of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

At this time of year, people generate more waste than any other time. One example, the amount of cardboard packaging we produce is approximately 300,000 tones, enough to wrap the London Eye 50,000 times according to Recycle Now.

People also need to consider ways they can remove avoidable plastic from festive preparations, including Christmas cards, decorations and gifts. Around 12 million tons of plastic enters the environment each year that’s equivalent to a bin lorry load every minute.

The twelve tips included recommendation to use artificial Christmas trees as they can be used for approximately 10 years for their environmental impact to be lower than a real tree.

Also, it is better to purchase a potted tree and then it can be planted outside after the festive season. If one doesn’t have space to plant it, he could keep it in its pot outside on the patio. This enables one to do his bit for the environment and reuse the tree again next year.

Trees, woods, and forests are vital for tackling the climate emergency. Buying your real Christmas tree from a certified by Grown in Britain supplier will ensure the tree is from a legal and sustainable UK source.

If one doesn’t have a potted tree, then make sure to recycle the tree responsibly.

The Environment Agency also called for investing in a reusable Christmas Eve box that can be used for many years to come.

One could get creative and make his own reusable box and items to fill it with.

The agency also raised the idea of giving eco-friendly gifts to family and friends, like a reusable coffee cup, reusable makeup remover wipes or a solid shampoo bar. This will encourage a positive behavior change which will lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.

The gift could even be a membership to a charity or wildlife trust, thus helping to support vital environmental work.

The agency also called for using recyclable wrapping paper. If it’s got foil or glitter on it then it can’t be recycled and could contain plastic. Most supermarkets have recyclable options, so try to buy these where possible.

You could use old newspaper to wrap gifts or even recycle last year’s paper.

How about getting creative and using potato stamps to decorate parcel paper and adding a sprig of holly for that Christmas feel.

Instead of adding plastic ribbons to gifts that will end up in landfill, why not use a more sustainable alternative. The agency also suggested using a fabric bow that can be kept and re-used to jazz up future gifts.

The agency encouraged people to look for things they already have and repurpose them to decorate your Christmas gifts.

When fabric bows/ribbons come to the end of their life, dispose of them with other textiles recycling.

The agency noted that approximately 1 billion Christmas cards are thrown every year. It would take the equivalent of 33 million trees to make that amount of card.

If possible, buy cards printed on FSC-certified, recycled card and are recyclable. Some cards have detachable items on the front that contain wildflower seeds which can be planted in soil in the new year.

Even better go for the personal touch and make your own from recycled card. Your friends and family will receive unique cards, that have not cost the earth.

Remember just like wrapping paper, if cards are decorated with glitter or foil, they can’t be recycled.

The agency also called for avoiding use of single use decorations. Why not get crafty and make some homemade decorations instead.

One could use natural resources like pinecones, which one can decorate or make his own natural star using twigs for the top of the tree.

A homemade decoration could be given as a gift or can be used as a festive decoration for years to come.

When it comes to cooking Christmas dinner and other festive treats, there are some simple yet important ways to protect the environment.

Dairy products are 1 of the most harmful items poured down the kitchen sink to the environment. It requires a large amount of oxygen to break down, meaning less oxygen in the water for wildlife. This is why pouring milk down the drain is a criminal offence for businesses.

Most councils recycling food waste will accept dairy products as part of their collections and this tends to go to facilities that can generate energy from waste so the throw away produce is going to good use.

The agency also said wreaths are a beautiful Christmas decoration, but some are more eco-friendly than others. Avoid wreaths adorned with plastic accessories and glittery decorations. Not only are these made using non sustainable materials, but they can be harmful for birds and wildlife if hung outside.

Go for a real, fresh wreath made using seasonal, natural foliage and adornments. Even better, make one’s own out of either fabric that will last year after year or natural resources from one’s own garden such as leaves and pinecones.

Unfortunately, most Christmas crackers are often laden with glitter, making them unrecyclable. They are also filled with plastic toys and gifts that are thrown away once the last mouthful of Christmas dinner has been eaten.

Why not make unique Christmas crackers without the environmental cost. Use FSC-certified, recycled paper and check it can be recycled after use. Use recyclable paper ties to tie them. Each cracker could contain a recyclable paper hat and joke and either a wooden Christmas tree decoration or a chocolate in a compostable wrapper. One could reuse a shoe box or something similar to put them in.

If not, there are Christmas crackers available to purchase that use FSC-certified, recycled paper and the items inside are sustainable too.

The agency encouraged people to have a Christmas walk instead of a Christmas drive or just dropping down in front of the TV.

Being in a green space has been shown to be good for your physical and mental health. It has become even more apparent especially during the pandemic is the enormous benefit people get from seeking solace in nature.

The agency also cautioned that cosmetic and sanitary wipes contribute to 93 percent of sewer blockages in the United Kingdom.

Even when they do not contain plastic, the majority of these wipes do not break down due to the non-woven material they are made of. This prevents them from breaking apart when cleaning surfaces or removing make-up.

Once flushed down the toilet, wipes can get caught in piping, accumulate and congeal with fatbergs. They also litter beaches and even create large, messy mounds along the banks of riverbeds.

These small changes make a lot less waste to ensure that this Christmas does not cost the earth.