Conscious Christmas for Dummies
This year, the effects of climate change has become more increasingly evident around the world. The collective goal to minimise our waste and carbon footprints is growing with more individuals educated on our impact on the earth, everyday. š
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Christmas Waste Statistics:
- In Australia alone, we use around 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper every Christmas ā thatās the equivalent of 50,000 trees!
- If that doesnāt shock you, then what about the fact that we create 125,000 tonnes of waste in plastic packaging alone?
- According to research, Australian adults spend on average $475 on presents, with only half of them being appreciated.
- As a whole, the nation spends an extra $554 million on extra food, with a third of it going to waste.
- On top of that, thereās the problem of āout with old and in with the newā when it comes to electronic items and many kidsā toys, with the old often ending up in the bin destined to become landfill, particularly in the case of plastics that canāt be recycled easily.
- And as for batteries, another environmental nightmare at Christmas time, Australians throw away over 8,000 tonnes of them, sending toxic or corrosive materials such as cadmium and mercury, lead and lithium directly into landfill.Ā (ā6 facts about Christmas waste and what you can do about it ā Earth Collectiveā, 2020)
Some hot tips for minimising your environmental impact this holiday season:
- Avoid wrapping presents in anything but recyclable materials! Think recycled paper, newspaper, or a reusable gift bagĀ (my mum has a collection and reuses them when she needs.)Ā Keep them in the recycle, reuse cycle.
- Buy only what you need, donāt stock up too much with Christmas food. Thereās nothing worse than not having enough to cater for a Christmas lunch, although there is one thing āĀ having too much that you waste so much of it!Ā Try to avoid going over board with needed ingredients, especially those food products which have a sort life span. Gift left overs to your guests at the end of the day.
- Gift your loved ones experiences instead of material things! Redballoon and Adrenaline.com have become my new best friends when it comes to gift giving. Especially for couples ā buy an experience which caters for 2 and in one easy purchase you have them both covered āĀ with no waste involved!
- Avoid plastic where you can! Avoid buying gifts packaged in plastic, instead look for more eco friendly items & support companies who are also making the switch!