Christmas doesn’t need to be a burden on the planet this year. With a little effort and imagination, we can reduce the environmental impact of the 2022 holiday season, and have an eco-friendly Christmas. Shopping smart and thinking about our planet’s future can make a real difference.
Here are some ideas to help celebrate the season while caring for the earth.
- Buy a Live/Real Tree or Potted Christmas Tree: For more information please read Christmas Trees-Sustainable Options
- Go “Green” When Decorating Your Christmas Tree
You can consider a series of eco-friendly Christmas materials when decorating your Christmas tree. For instance, look for chestnuts and pine cones – and get to work with glitter glue and string to make some simple, gorgeous tree decorations. Even you can use fresh flowers to decorate your tree together with some recyclable paper and/or wooden arrangements which you can create .
Some edible materials, such as colourful cookies or dried fruits can also be a good alternative to all-plastic decoration materials.
Additionally, use LED lights instead of tungsten ones to save both on energy and your electricity bills for a more eco-friendly Christmas.
- Give sustainable and environmentally-friendly gifts
Christmas is a time for giving, but if you’re tired of receiving unwanted socks and giving plastic materials, we’ve compiled a list of present ideas that are sustainable and joyful.
- Pick a gift that lasts, such as houseplants. You can buy one very popular indoor plant, such as a cute succulent or cactus, or a unique one, such as a Citrus or a Guzmania, as a gift.
- Plant a tree for the name of the people you love.
- Give them a gift certificate for a garden, bike or bookstore
- Plan an active outdoor day together – maybe it’s a snowshoe walk or picking a spot for your first summer camping trip. Or plan another activity, big or small, together with your loved ones. For instance, go together to a beautiful restaurant, a concert, a museum or even to a small fancy town by train or bicycle.
- Make a donation for the name of the people you care for
- Consider buying anything reusable and recyclable
And, according to Zero Waste Canada, each Canadian tosses about 25 percent more garbage during the holidays than the rest of the year, mainly due the purchase of 3,000 tons of foil and millions of Christmas cards or of tape rolls.
In this vein, for any of your physical presents, try to choose wrapping paper made using fibers such as hemp, or paper using recycled content. And avoid sellotape, and use natural string or reusable fabric ribbons instead. Or place presents in a fabric or paper bag that can be used again.
- Consciously consume in the kitchen
Rather than loading your Christmas table with as much meat as possible, try and enjoy quality over quantity. Buy your turkey – or other feast supply and drinks – from a local farmer rather than the supermarket, and make sure that it’s organic. Thus, they’ve been less energy-intensively farmed. Plus, they will taste better, too!
If you have too many leftovers, see what you can freeze. Or why not donate some to an elderly neighbour, local food bank or soup kitchen? Compost any other waste for an eco-friendly Christmas.
- Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
The end of the year is a good time to calculate your carbon footprint and offset it.
You can use the websites of Carbon Zero or TreeCanada to make these calculations and immediately start diminishing your carbon footprint as a New Year goal.
According to data from Global Footprint Network, the carbon footprint is currently 60 percent of humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint and its most rapidly growing component and humanity’s carbon footprint has increased 11-fold since 1961.
Reducing this is the most essential step we can live within the means of our planet. Buying reusable holiday decors will save you money and protect the environment.
Visit us for everything about Christmas, from Norfolk Pines, Christmas trees, Alberta Spruces or wintergreens, such as cedar ropes and wreaths to a wide range of indoor plants. We offer delivery services within the London, Ontario city limits.
We are open all seven days.