Eco Friendly Tips for the Jolly Season...

Is it possible to have a Zero-Waste Christmas?

Over the years we’ve seen the amount of rubbish increase significantly over the festive period.
A few facts from WAKEcup really opened our eyes so we have collected a few of our favourite tips and ideas to help you reduce the amount of waste generated this year. Simple to achieve, we are suggesting you use natural materials which will reduce costs at what can be the most expensive time of the year. 

Christmas Waste Statistics. 

- Each Christmas just under 100km2 of wrapping paper ends up in UK landfill or is burnt!

- 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging is thrown away, that's a 25% increase compared to other times in the year. 

- Around 7 Million Christmas trees are estimated to be thrown away.

- It's estimated that approximately 30% of all food bought specifically for Christmas goes to waste.

Now we’re not suggesting creating a completely zero-waste Christmas is easy, but with this guide you'll be amazed at the difference you can make. 

The all important Tree

Most people see the Christmas tree as the official beginning of the holiday, being the focal point for the celebrations. The ongoing debate as to whether a real or artificial tree is the more sustainable sparks a lot of arguments… With some people having had an artificial tree for years and throwing one away to get a real tree would be madness.

Whilst growing trees through the year for Christmas is carbon positive, If the thought of throwing away a tree after a few weeks is not for you, then there are lots of other options. Recently people have began keeping small trees in large pots outside all year, bringing them in for Christmas, and decorating non traditional trees or plants! Hiring Christmas trees in pots also seems to be a growing trend, check out adopting a tree at loveachristmastree!

What i'd look for if you are going to get a real tree is one that is grown in the country you live in. Check you can either compost yourself or have access to council or independent services who can do this for you. We like Patch, as they plant a new tree for every one sold, which makes sense as a sustainable business model.

Decorations

We've got Christmas decorations coming out of our ears. Baubles, lights and glittery drawings on card the children made at school. The handmade decorations are joined by various ornaments and stars gained over the years. Pine cones, cinnamon sticks and red berries are also nice additions which don't cost anything and can be composted at the end of the festivities.

There's plenty of mistletoe around at this time of year and if you have a holly hedge or know somebody who does then why not try making a Christmas wreath! Utilising anything that is abundant in your garden at this time of year is ideal, with natural hessian to bind. There's some great tips here if you want to make a wreath that's a bit extra special Christmas Wreath for the front door. 

A great way to entertain the youngsters over the holidays in the run up to Christmas is making decorations, particularly crackers... You'll probably improve on the jokes and fun facts that are usually inside and you can personalise them, place small gifts inside that you know the recipient will want rather than a plastic toy which immediately gets binned.

If you're all out of creativity or just don't have time to be making decorations, second hand shops can be a great source, you best be quick though - they'll be popular this time of year.

The Festive Feast

Before we get into the feasting we would really like to mention Bankuet! This new organisation have made it easier for people to give to food banks wherever you are. Bankuet gets food banks what they need when they need it... Providing nutritionally balanced meals, Bankuet is revolutionising the way food bank distribution works, helping to end food poverty. We all wish there wasn't a need for food banks but for now this is a solution.

Now, Whether you're having a vegan Christmas or carving up a goose on the big day, a more considered Christmas does not necessarily require going cold turkey,  If we all make small changes each year it creates a big impact... Source local food where you know how it’s been produced and where it’s come from. If you eat meat, do you know how your turkey was raised? Go for a free-range or organic turkey from a source you trust. Not to mention the love we have for your support with our local, independent businesses!

There’s almost nothing worse than scrambling around a crowded supermarket on Christmas eve, fending off the rest of your neighbourhood for the last sad bag of brussel sprouts. By avoiding the stress of the last minute dash not only will you save yourself time but you’ll also avoid mass-produced food without provenance that’s been sitting around in distribution centres before reaching your plate. 

Did you know the average family wastes around a third of the food they buy at Christmas...
Plan out your meals rather than just buying everything you see with a seasonal motif emblazoned on it. Save your pennies and research a few leftover dishes that your family will really enjoy. Who doesn’t love turning any left over veggies into bubble and squeak on boxing day? Make a delicious stock for soup or risottos simmering all your dinner leftovers with water and herbs. Leave it to simmer whilst the Strictly Special is on the telly. Leave to cool and freeze in an ice cube tray and it’ll see you into the new year.

The easiest way to avoid waste is not getting sucked into the buy-one-get-one-free deals. BOGOF's lead to a mountain of sickly treats you and your family simply won’t need after all that tasty nut roast. Notoriously designed by supermarkets to get you to buy more, BOGOFS aren’t there for your benefit, but to help line their pockets. As with any other time of year, packaging is one of the biggest problems when it comes to food waste, so try to buy loose fruit and vegetables where possible. If you’re in the London catchment, why not give Odd Box a try! They are one of the wonderful new companies supplying wonky veg at great prices, as the major supermarkets won't touch it, use code NOPLANETB for 50% off. 

Rather than buying packs of disposable napkins, why don't you purchase some green or red reusable napkins which can be used at Christmas but also through the rest of the year? 

Buying Gifts

The zero waste movement is arguably the antithesis of Christmas – a time of consumption and over-indulgence.
But far from being for the seasonal Scrooge, buying ethically and consciously at Christmas means all of the joy without the guilt of chucking huge amounts of leftovers in the compost bin and adding to the mountains of rubbish once celebrations are over. 

One of my favourite ways of gifting at this time of year is donating to an organisation which is close to the recipient's heart. For example, The Marine Conservation Society partnered with WAKEcup have an adopt a turtle or seahorse scheme which costs £3 per month, the recipient gets to learn a bit more about conservation too - with MCS doing great work both in the UK and in places like Turks and Caicos where they work with the local community to protect the breeding turtle population.

And trust me nobody (well, maybe dad) wants to find a novelty jumper waiting for them under the tree. So, to avoid disappointment, a nice idea for those nightmare people who are too difficult to buy for is to take note of which sustainable brands they're already using or check who they're following on social media to get a feel for what might be appropriate. 

Experiences are a great option and will generally keep waste to a minimum.
If they're a music lover how about tickets to a local gig, singing lessons or the chance to learn a new instrument? You can do short term instrument hires from many music shops these days. A night at a hotel spa perhaps or a tasting menu at a new or favourite restaurant is great for people who say they don't want or need anything. For sports lovers how about tickets to their favourite football, rugby or other winter sport? Tennis and golf lessons are also a good option for those that want to get out of the house after Christmas!

Sustainable gifts are always welcome at this time of year and this is one area where we can directly help... For colleagues, teachers and coffee lovers we'd recommend a stylish bamboo coffee cup. Tea lovers need look no further than our WAKEcup Glass infuser. For aspiring eco-warriors and teenagers we have Vegan backpacks, bamboo coffee cups, water bottles and lunch sets. 

Once you've picked out the perfect gift, what comes next next? The wrapping of course...
Did you know that a lot of wrapping paper isn't recyclable, with some even containing plastic! IT’S EVERYWHERE!
Other things to watch out for are the type that are covered in glitter. These days there are a few alternatives to single-use to consider - there's some really nice reusable wrapping cloth, or you can use brown paper which is generally good. If you'd like to buy from a sustainable brand, check out  re-wrapped who only sell wrap and cards made from recycled material. They use vegetable dye so everything can be recycled too. Use hessian, paper tape or reusable ribbon to tie rather than plastic tape and you're good to go. 

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!
We’ll see you in 2020 x