This is the season of enchanting Christmas trees, seasonal treats, comforting Christmas movies, gift shopping, Christmas markets and so much more! It’s also a great time to be more sustainable - here are some top tips to help reduce waste!
This time of year can mean delicious treats, fun Christmas decorations and exciting gifts. However, among the hecticness of the season, it can be very easy to accumulate a lot of waste and sometimes we may not even notice it.
Food
According to WM The UK wastes approximately 9.52 million tonnes of food every year. In order to combat food waste, there are steps that we can take in our daily life to reduce food waste. Sometimes we buy ingredients and leave them hidden away in the cupboard, before you head to the shops to pick up flour or baking powder for your seasonal baked goods make sure to check if you already have something you need for your recipe! To reduce food waste, always make a shopping list before picking up your groceries, remembering to always buy what you need. When doing your food shop, buying groceries loose and avoiding excess packaging is even better! It means you’ll have less plastic waste and a lower carbon footprint. Bonus tip: consider shopping locally for groceries. Doing a local food shop reduces the carbon footprint of food transportation. If you do find that you have extra food, consider donating it to a local food bank. For more advice on food waste - including how to use up leftovers and how to best store foods - you can have a look at https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/
Gift giving
We know that sometimes gift giving can be a bit tricky, after all, around half of UK adults say they have received gifts they don't want at Christmas. Instead of purchasing physical items that people may not want or need, why not try something different this year and gift experiences instead? Spa days, concert tickets and meals out can create long lasting memories. If you do want to purchase physical gifts, you can find unique and pre-loved gifts from small businesses on platforms such as Etsy, or you can find the nearest antique or charity shop and search for unique items in person!
Creative Reuse
Here are some ideas for the imaginative souls amongst you!
Get crafty this season and utilise materials that you may already have at home such as scarves and ribbons to wrap your Christmas gifts this year! You can also continue to enhance your crafting skills by making your own Christmas decorations instead of purchasing single-use decor that might get thrown out by the end of the season. As a bonus you can make this an activity for the little ones in your life! Check out this Country Living article for unique Christmas decor inspiration and turn your home into a winter wonderland!
Why not reuse your Christmas cards to make bookmarks and gift tags for next year? This is especially the case for the metallic and glittery cards that cannot be recycled.
Repair
Before you throw out broken items - consider repairing them. The Telford Repair Cafe hold regular events in local community centres where you can take items to be repaired. They can repair clothing, toys, portable electrical items and more! You can event take the opportunity to learn how to fix items yourself.
You can find out more on the Telford Repair Cafe Facebook page.
