By Lily Sheridan-Power, Third Year Anthropology
The Croft Magazine // The festive season is defined by excitement, generosity and good food. It’s the time of year to surround yourself with the people you love and to show gratitude for what you have.
However, it is undeniably not the most environmentally friendly time of year. Over Christmas, the UK is estimated to create 30 per cent more waste than usual. We use 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each Christmas, enough to stretch nine times around the world. Alongside this, one billion Christmas cards (the equivalent of 33 million trees) end up in the bin, six million Christmas trees are discarded, 40 million rolls of sticky tape and almost 100 million bin bags are used.
We have put together a list of ways to make your Christmas greener, without turning full Grinch!
1. Buy sustainable gifts
With Christmas around the corner, it is time to start thinking about what to buy your friends and family. Instead of panic buying, make every gift count by purchasing things with purpose and meaning.
Why not treat your family members to a reusable water bottle each? Sustainable, and stylish.
A great present for a Secret Santa or a best friend. The bristles are made from a bamboo fibre & nylon blend, making Soseas brushes 100% plastic-free. They even have recyclable packaging made from recycled eco-kraft cardboard.
2. Better yet, get creative
With all the various socialising restrictions, it’s fair to say we are going to feel a little cooped up indoors. If you find yourself getting bored, try to make your own Christmas presents. It’s more personal, and affordable. Look up how to decoupage on YouTube!
3. If it’s sparkly and glittery, avoid it at all costs
Heartbreaking, I know. But most sticky tape, ribbons and paper covered in glitter cannot be recycled. To reduce your carbon footprint, and ensure your presents still look good, opt for brown paper and plastic-free paper tape. If you want to ditch paper altogether, wrap presents this year in fabric.
4. Make your Christmas pop with a sustainable bang
The ever-popular Christmas cracker can be a huge contributor to waste as most go straight into the bin. Also, the toys inside are often non-recyclable. So, why not create your own personalised crackers this Christmas?
5. Shop local
After the chaos of 2020, now is truly the time to support one another. Before heading home for Christmas, check out what independent shops in Bristol have to offer.
Instead of ordering a book from Amazon, visit Storysmith on North Street in Bedminster – if they don’t have what you’re looking for in stock, they can order it in for the next day.
For adorable room decorations, try Frankly. They also sell fashion pieces and accessories. Ideal for the person who is tricky to buy for!
Featured Image: Unsplash / Andrew Neel
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