During the holiday season, it can be easy to forget the basics when it comes to the environment and staying eco-friendly, and Christmas is not often associated with saving the planet. However, the holiday season also produces a lot of opportunities for damage to the environment and an increased carbon footprint. With this in mind, here are some of the best ways that you can stay eco-conscious over the Christmas period.
Get a Real Tree
Although you might believe that it is more environmentally friendly to invest in an artificial tree that you can reuse for years in a row rather than a real tree that will simply sit in your house for a few weeks before being disposed of, this is not the case. Instead, it has been found that real Christmas trees have a much smaller carbon footprint than artificial ones since they will be replanted. Also, the materials that artificial trees are made out of can take a long time to degrade. Therefore, you should consider looking at getting a Christmas tree delivery London, as this will enable you to enjoy the best of the season while also ensuring that you are protecting the environment.
Swap Your Wrapping
Although you might be used to using large tubes of wrapping paper to disguise your presents every season and ensure that they are a surprise, you should consider swapping your fancy Christmas paper for plain, brown paper or even scrapping wrapping paper altogether. You can make your brown paper look just as beautiful as a bright alternative by adding stencilled patterns and ribbons onto the package yourself. If you do decide to opt for wrapping paper, you should make sure that you avoid paper with glitter on it and that you look for a biodegradable option.
Offer a Veggie Option
Many studies have shown that opting for a vegetarian or vegan meal can help to reduce your impact on the environment, and your meals over the holiday period should reflect that. Then, rather than choosing to consume the traditional turkey dinner, you should consider looking at alternative, meat-free options like a nut roast or a turkey-style dinner that can help you to enjoy the festivities without eating a great amount of meat or animal products.
Choose Gifts Wisely
A large part of Christmas is the act of giving and receiving presents. However, there are many ways that you can make your gift selection process more eco-friendly. For instance, you might consider ignoring gifts that are made of plastic or that have a lot of packaging. You might also look for second-hand gifts that can bring just the same amount of joy as a new option. Consider also giving a gift voucher instead, as this can allow the person in question to pick a gift that they actually want or need rather than a present that will soon be thrown away and end up in a landfill site.
