step by step guide to
a Sustainable Christmas

Christmas Trees - Real Vs Fake?

A real tree will absorb CO2 from the air.

An artificial tree uses oil to make and contributes to the carbon impact in its production. 

But it’s not as simple as that. 

A real tree uses natural resources (water) to grow and an artificial tree uses natural resources to be made (albeit a lot more and a lot more impacting that growing a tree).

A real tree is disposed of after Christmas resulting in a carbon impact in the processing of it but an artificial tree can be used year after year.

Real trees can also be used year after year if grown and bought potted but an artificial tree can have a lower carbon footprint than a new real tree every year if it’s reused for at least 7 years*.

So whether you choose a real tree or an artificial tree, make sure you choose one you can use for many years to come.

*according to the Carbon Trust. Obviously this depends on the size of the tree but between 7-20 years is when most fake trees have a lower impact than having 7-20 real trees.

Christmas Lights

We all love a pretty fairly light or two for Christmas but just how environmentally friendly and sustainable are they?

Like artificial trees, lights are also made of plastic which uses a fossil fuel to make and also has a carbon impact in the manufacturing process.

To reduce the carbon impact of fairly lights go for good quality LED lights. 

LED use a minimal amount of electricity to run so the carbon impact of using them is reduced - and if you use 100% renewable/clean electricity that impact is obviously even lower.

Unfortunately LED lights cannot be repaired or recycled so once they’re broken they will end up in landfill, therefore go for good quality lights will also last a lot longer - the longer you can use something, the longer it is kept out of landfill.

With energy prices so high this year, many people are turning to battery lights to reduce their electricity bill over Christmas, but what happens to batteries after they have been drained? Many will be recycled (resulting in a carbon impact) but more still will end up in landfill even though they should never be placed in with household waste.

Rechargeable batteries could be a better option but as they use electricity to charge the savings on electricity would be minimal. Also battery operated lights tend not to be as well made as mains operated lights so environmentally and cost wise, quality LED fairly lights are the better option over anything else.

If you’re worried about the electricity costs, invest in some plug in timers, or use an app like Hive, to make sure you don’t forget to turn your lights off.

Decorations

Christmas is full of shiny plastic decorations which are often thrown away once all the decorations have come down - garlands, hanging stars etc. Again, if you must buy plastic decorations, go for quality products that will last for many years, lowering their carbon impact in the long run.

Alternatively opt for naturally or compostable decorations. Paper garlands, stars, popcorn, paper baubles etc. are all beautiful, festive and much more sustainable. Drying oranges and creating natural wreaths and decoration with real holly and ivy can not only look fabulous, they smell fabulous and can be composted after christmas - it's a win all round.

Crackers

Crackers are a big part of Christmas, especially Christmas dinner, but are often filled with small plastic or metal gifts that are usually thrown away on Boxing day going straight into landfill in the new year. Some of the metal gifts may be recycled but obviously that has a carbon impact in itself. Then there’s the packaging, often plastic wrapped.

More sustainable options would be to make your own crackers with sweets inside, or gifts you know people would want. Another easier option is plastic free shop bought crackers. Thankfully many retailers this year have jumped on the plastic free bandwagon (see also wrapping paper) and are offering crackers free of plastic. Many are also offering plastic free games inside the crackers rather than useless gifts. This not only helps the planet but makes for a bit of extra fun at Christmas!

Cards and Wrapping Paper

If you’re sending cards make sure they are produced using FSC accredited or recycled card stock and can be easily recycled after Christmas - that means no 3D cards with sticky pads, no glitter and no shiny metallic foiling, and charity cards are obviously the best as you’re also helping a good cause at the same time.

With regards to wrapping paper, the same applies as cards regarding the paper stock and can it be easily recycled. Look at how you are buying your wrapping paper too, is it wrapped in plastic or in a plastic bag? Like with crackers, many retailers are selling plastic free, recyclable wrapping paper this year so otp for that instead.

Also think about all the other stuff we put on presents - sellotape, gift tags, ribbons etc. User natural embellishments like pine cones, holly and dried fruit slices. Natural string or paper ribbon which can be composted or recycled after the big day is also a better option than shiny plastic ribbon. 

These days paper tape is widely available and far better for the planet as no oil is used in its production. It can be easily recycled or composted after the presents have been opened. Obviously if you’re using string or ribbon you really don’t need any sticky tape anyway!

Food & Drink

The tendency is to overindulge over Christmas which not only has a big impact on our waistlines but it also has a big impact on the planet too. The easiest way to reduce the environmental impact of our food and drink over Christmas, and all year round, is to eat a plant based, vegan diet. A plant based diet can save 4.3kgs of carbon per day based on a standard meat eating diet but this could be an even higher number over Christmas when our food and drink consumption can increase.

Look at the packaging of the items you’re buying too and opt for glass, paper or aluminium where you can. Buying local and in season is another way to reduce environment impact, as well as supporting local businesses.

It’s also good to remember that not everyone has all the food they need to survive each day so Christmas is a great time to add something to a food bank box in the supermarket or to donate a sum of money to a foodbank or homelessness charity. Any amount of food or money is always a help and always very much appreciated by the charities and the recipients of the help.