CLIMATE ACTION
12 green tips of Christmas
There is a good chance that the festive season will leave you with mountains of wrapping paper , heaps of extra food and online deliveries piling up on the doormat . But by following our tips , you can avoid getting a lump of coal in your stocking for any bad Yuletide habits and help the planet at the same time …
1
Wrap up well
Look at alternatives to wrapping your presents rather than using materials that usually cannot be recycled , such as metallic and glittery materials . Use fabric , recycled paper and re-used gift bags instead . Go home-made
2
Give friends and family a personalised gift by making your own presents . It is greener , far better for your wallet and home-made gifts might even mean more to the receiver .
Green decorations for your
3
Christmas tree Choose decorations that can be reused rather than flimsy ones that will be used once and thrown away . Also , use energy efficient lights where possible .
Shop local
4
Support local businesses by shopping close to home as an alternative to making long car trips and ordering online . See pages 12-13 .
Say no to fast fashion
5
Fast fashion focuses on quantity
and speed over quality and sustainability – all at a high cost to the planet . This Christmas , take your pick from charity shops and vintage boutiques , some of which are now online . See aroundealing . com / news / fashion
Cut food waste
6
Plan ahead when considering your Christmas menu to cut the amount of food that is left over and thrown away . There are also plenty of delicious dishes that can be made from any leftover food – visit lovefoodhatewaste . com for ideas . Check your revised
7 collection day Your normal rubbish and recycling collection days may change over the Christmas period . Check the back page of this magazine for details .
Wash up and save space
8
Make sure all food is rinsed out of card and paper packaging before recycling to avoid contamination . You can also flatten cardboard boxes to save room .
9
Recycle your real
Christmas tree During a set period after Christmas , recycling drop-off points will be running in some local parks and you will also be able to leave real trees out with your blue recycling bin on your collection day . See the back page of this magazine for details . Alternatively , buy a reusable tree and use it every year .
Send an e-card instead
10
Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of card are used every Christmas in the UK – why not send e-cards instead ?
Make a difference to
11 someone else Pass on any unwanted presents on to your local charity shop rather than throwing them away .
Think big for your party
12
Buy food and drinks in large containers , rather than a lot of small ones , and avoid using throwaway plates and cups .
around ealing Winter 2021 27