How to have a green holiday season!

The days are getting shorter, there’s a sharp chill in the air and the supermarkets have started stocking tins of chocolates again. It can only mean one thing – the holidays are coming! Whatever you celebrate at this time of year, make sure your festivities don’t negatively affect the environment by following our tips for keeping it green!

Rent a tree

In a similar way that you can rent a car and, more recently, clothes too, you can also rent a real tree from a British farm! While real trees are far more eco-friendly than fake firs, several million of them still get dumped come January, rather than being recycled. Love a Christmas Tree can deliver a real Nordmann Fir to your door for you to decorate and tend to over the festive period, then they’ll pick it back up and replant it again in the New Year!

Pick your paper carefully

Planning on gifting out gifts this winter break? Consider what you wrap them in, as many rolls of wrapping paper contain non-recyclable elements, such as glitter or foil. Instead, get creative with brown parcel paper, adorned with your own custom decorations – we’ll be using dried orange segments, cinnamon sticks and coloured twine! Or, for an even more eco-friendly option, use fabric which can be re-used by the recipient!

The wrapping paper scrunch test!

Reduce your food waste

Overindulging is almost a given during the winter holidays, with an abundance of sweet treats and savoury delights on offer. Sadly though, many of us will end up throwing a lot of wasted food away. Food waste is a growing problem in the UK – with households chucking away more (potentially usable!) food every week, especially since lockdown. Aside from planning ahead and buying less during your weekly grocery shop, apps like Olio allow you to connect with people in need of food in your local area quickly and simply – so nothing needs to go to waste.

Light up with LEDs

Did you know, if every UK household used an LED string of lights instead of their usual variety, we could save over £11million and a whopping 29,000 tonnes of C02, just over the 12 days of Christmas! LEDs use 80% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, so make the swap now!

Shop small and local

Many people have started their own small businesses or creative endeavours during the recent lockdowns, and what better way to support their efforts than by turning to them for your gifting this year? Many towns and cities are running virtual markets this year, which is an opportunity for you to browse through the offerings from creative makers in your area. Check your local Facebook page to find out what’s going on online in your area!