RESIDENTS across Warwickshire are being encouraged to have a greener and more sustainable Christmas.
There are lots of festive items that cannot be recycled, including most glossy and printed wrapping paper, single-use Christmas crackers and glittery Christmas cards.
And in response to this, Warwickshire County Council’s waste and recycling team are using the run-up to Christmas to share some of their top tips for making this festive season the greenest and most sustainable ever.
WCC’s environment spokesperson Coun Heather Timms said: “Christmas is a time for celebrating with family and friends, for mince pies and merrymaking. Unfortunately, all this consumption has also led to the festive season becoming one of biggest occasions for creating waste across the UK.
“This Christmas, we are hoping that many of our residents will take some of these tips on board for a more environmentally conscious yuletide.
“It’s important to stress, this is not about people changing every single that they do, but to be more aware of their impact on the environment. Even just changing one behaviour, perhaps cutting out the non-recyclable wrapping paper or reducing the amount of food that is wasted on Christmas Day, can make a real difference both to the environment and our wallets.
“It has never been more important for us all to play our part in minimising our impact on climate change as we, together, strive for a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.”
The top tips for residents wanting to explore a sustainable Christmas 2023 are:
Wrapping paper and cards – Look for cards and wrapping paper made from recycled or FSC-certified paper. Avoid plastic ribbon and tape or foil-backed wrapping paper. Try to choose cards that can be recycled with no foil or glitter.
Check out tape-free wrapping techniques such as, furoshiki, a traditional Japanese method of using cloth to wrap and transport gifts.
Gifts – Some simple ways to be eco-friendly with Christmas presents include buying from local, zero-waste businesses, getting creative with something homemade, or giving an experience or charity membership instead.
Plan what you are going to eat – Writing shopping lists and simple meal plans are the first step to reducing how much food is thrown away. This also helps to save money on shopping bills.
Eat Seasonally –One really simple way of making Christmas more sustainable is to eat only those vegetables that are in season in December and that therefore do not carry the environmental cost of being imported from overseas. For Christmas dinner at least, the staples of a yule lunch – potatoes, sprouts, carrots, leeks, and parsnips – are all in season throughout the winter.
Reducing Food Waste – Make the most of leftovers and reduce food waste at home this Christmas time by checking out some of the zero-waste festive recipes that are available online at https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/organic-recipes/?tag=Christmas+-+Zero+Waste
