How to reduce waste this Christmas

Christmas is finally upon us, with adverts for the latest big thing everywhere. Whilst Christmas is the time of togetherness and celebration we all need this year, it is also a time of huge waste. Here are some tips to reduce waste this Christmas.

Ditch the wrapping paper

Each year we throw away over 220,000 miles of wrapping paper. Much of this can’t be recycled and goes straight to landfill, and that’s not to mention the plastic wrapping it comes in. Why not try the Japanese art of furoshiki and use beautiful fabric to wrap your gifts? Another idea is to make your own giant stockings and pop all your gifts in there.

Make your own

There is nothing quite so lovely as a homemade gift, and many of us find ourselves with time to spare. Food is always a nice choice, as we all have so much stuff cluttering up our homes nowadays. Check out our plastic free ingredients here!

Buy second hand

There is nothing at all wrong with buying your Christmas outfit second hand. Many of us have had a hard year financially, and it’s amazing the quality of things you can find in charity shops. Upcycling your charity shop finds is a great way to bring life back to an item. Charity shops are also a brilliant place to find cheap resources for your home made Christmas decorations and gifts.

Buy thoughtfully

Try to make a list of things you want to buy for friends and family, and avoid panic buying. Supporting small businesses is really important this year, so try to find a local company who does something really special. Gift vouchers are another great way to support local business. We have a selection of plastic free gifts here. Experiences are a lovely choice, as memories you make together will be cherished deeply, especially after the year we’ve had.

Decorate naturally

Bring the outdoors indoors! Holly and ivy both make a beautiful addition to the home at Christmas. A crisp winter walk to forage foliage is invigorating, and lets you appreciate the beauty of winter. Try using them in flower arrangements, or string them up along the ceiling. You can also try felting, knitting or sewing your own Christmas decorations.

Use your leftovers!

It’s easy to overindulge at Christmas, but if you do end up with too much food (who doesn’t) make sure your left overs don’t go to waste. Soups, stews and curries are all great ways to use up food you can’t quite manage. Just remember to keep serving sizes sensible so you’re not scraping anything into the bin.

This Christmas will be a strange one, but we can take advantage of this by making new traditions. Reduce waste this Christmas, and change the world for the better.

WP Post Author

Sophie Robinson

Sophie Robinson, MSc Gastronomy, Dip CNM

Sophie is a registered nutritionist with a particular interest in helping people to find simple and sustainable ways to improve their diet. She holds an MSc in Gastronomy, which has allowed her to explore her passion for the story behind the food we eat. She believes that too often we concentrate on the end product, and not the journey that brings it to us, which contributes to the mindless eating habits prevalent in our society. The founder of Follow the Wild Path, a nutrition and lifestyle platform, you can often find her rummaging around in a hedge, or tending to her many ferments.

This article is written as a point of interest, and is not to be considered nutritional advice for health or disease, please make sure to raise any dietary changes with your health professional.

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