By Nadia Anwar-Watts, Fourth Year, Music and German
Christmas is, for many, the most wonderful time of the year. A brief flicker of warmth and a moment of escapism from the cold, dark months and seasonal blues; a time to reconnect with loved ones and celebrate alongside millions of others around the world. Yet, beneath the festive cheer lies a troubling reality: the hidden cost of Christmas.
The UK alone produces approximately 270,000 tonnes of food waste and sends over £42 million worth of unwanted Christmas presents to landfills each year. While we in the West indulge in excessive consumption, the most vulnerable communities in the Global South often bear the brunt of our waste.
This issue, known as ‘waste colonialism’, sees excess waste produced by higher-GDP countries disproportionately dumped onto the shores of lower-GDP nations. Countries like Ghana and Indonesia are flooded with discarded goods, including electronic waste and second-hand clothes, which end up polluting local environments. As we celebrate Christmas, it is more crucial than ever to confront the environmental and ethical costs of our festive excess and rethink our consumption habits in this urgent climate crisis.
The holiday season catalyses a sharp spike in consumer spending. A report by the Bank of England states that, on average, UK citizens spend £740 more in December – a 29 per cent increase from our usual monthly spending habits. And it’s not just the gift-buying and holiday-going. Spending on food and alcohol also rises by an average of 20 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively. These consumption patterns reflect a deeper cultural shift; in the 21st century, material accumulation is often seen as a reflection of success. Researchers on the Stop Waste Colonialism Team have explored this culture in detail, noting, ‘Waste itself is a byproduct of a culture of disposability and of an economic system that incentivises a linear, or hierarchical, accumulation of value.’
Epigram spoke to Leah, a third-year Classics student, and Chris, a third-year MEng Civil Engineering student, about their Christmas spending habits. Leah noted how the holiday season has increasingly become tied to material indulgence. ‘My spending definitely increases over Christmas’, she remarked, ‘I’m constantly celebrating, going out for dinner and drinks – it’s a time of materialism. I feel like the word celebrating comes with a price tag in this day and age.’
‘When people buy less stuff, you get immediate drops in emissions, resource consumption and pollution, unlike anything we’ve achieved with green technology’
Chris took a more restrained approach to Christmas spending, resisting the temptation to buy unnecessary items and gifts. Nevertheless, he did acknowledge the seasonal pressure to spend: ‘I don’t feel like I need to buy things I don’t need, but my spending probably does increase a little bit. Especially on food and drink – at that time of year I’m a little bit more lenient with myself.’
This sense of indulgence, whether expressed through lavish spending or simply leniency on food and drink, ties back to a culture where value is increasingly linked to consumption. In turn, this drives up the environmental costs associated with our festive habits.
A report by the UNICEF Office of Research highlights a staggering reality: if everyone consumed resources at the same rate as people in Canada, Luxembourg and the United States, we would need at least five Earths to sustain these levels of consumption. Yet, the global footprint of affluent nations is not just a matter of resource depletion, it directly contributes to environmental degradation in poorer regions of the world.
The term ‘waste colonialism’, describes how wealthy, high-GDP countries export their waste to lower-GDP nations, exacerbating pollution in already vulnerable regions. In Ghana, for example, over 15 million discarded garments arrive every week, 40 per cent of which are unsellable and end up polluting the local environment. These unwanted clothes fuel growing landfill fires, such as the one that devastated Kantamanto Market shortly before Christmas in 2022. Similarly, the Agbobloshie landfill in Accra was reported by NPR as ‘one of the largest e-waste processing sites in Africa’, amassing over 15,000 tonnes of used electronics in recent years that have leached hazardous materials into both the water and the air.
Although the statistics on the effects of our overconsumption can be disheartening, the good news is that addressing this problem doesn’t require a complete overhaul of our ways of celebrating. It can begin with small, mindful changes in how we approach consumption. As author JB MacKinnon argues in his book, The Day the World Stops Shopping, ‘When people buy less stuff, you get immediate drops in emissions, resource consumption and pollution, unlike anything we’ve achieved with green technology.’ This insight challenges us to rethink our priorities when combating the crises of climate change and pollution. Instead of pouring billions into electric cars, geoengineering, or spending extra on biodegradable packaging and metal straws, we can start by simply consuming less.
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Whether that means buying fewer gifts, opting for second-hand or homemade items, or spending less on food and drink during the festive season, it all comes down to recognising that every item we buy and every meal we waste contributes to the growing burden on the environment. Reducing consumption – especially during high-waste periods like Christmas – can be one of the most immediate and impactful ways we can all help ease the pressure on our planet. So, amidst all the celebrations and festivities this year, remember that a price tag doesn’t always have to come attached to the enjoyment of the Christmas season.
Featured Image: Epigram / Jess Cohen
What can you do to reduce your consumption during the Christmas period?
