Reduce your waste this Christmas
Christmas is a time to come together, share best wishes and gifts and usually enjoy a few treats. When it comes to being environmentally conscious at this time of year though, there are some simple changes that could help reduce your waste this Christmas.
As we round off our yearlong focus on adjustments and commitments we can all make in our personal lives and workplaces to be environmentally friendly, we turn our focus to Christmas.
Carefully consider your Christmas Card list
It’s nice to receive a Christmas card and open it to see who it’s from, and there are plenty of environmentally friendly options available in shops nowadays.
For organisations who are still sending out Christmas cards though, it may be worth considering whether to end the tradition of sending physical cards through the post to reduce carbon emissions and cut down on paper.
Consider sending digital cards instead, or whether you can use the planned budget to partner with a charity and make a donation in lieu. Often this approach will be more appreciated when they go towards helping a good cause.
Wrapping up Christmas
Favourite Christmas memories typically include children tearing as fast as at the wrapping paper to discover what presents are underneath, with an adult hovering nearby with a bin bag to tidy up the debris of the discarded wrapping paper.
Whilst this can be recycled, don’t forget to consider reusing it too – provided it survives the rush to open and explore the gift. Consider using eco-friendly paper and neatly fold it away to use again next year.
Gift bags are a great alternative for presents, that can also be easily used again. Or why not consider using reusable bags and even scarves to wrap presents instead of traditional paper to reduce waste.
Planning the festive feasts
A report by charity Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) indicates that whilst people’s behaviours around food waste improved during COVID-19 lockdowns, the return to everyday life has seen an increase in self-reported food waste.
Christmas time is another period where the trolley tends to overspill with extra shopping and large feasts are produced for family and friends to enjoy.
Whilst a festive meal with all the trimmings might be a must though, so should introducing new traditions to use up leftovers and turn them into tasty meals. If you’re not a culinary whizz in the kitchen, then a quick internet search can bring up various recipe options that should be easy enough to follow.
Whilst you’re cooking for your Christmas festivities don’t forget to use your food waste bin provided by your local council, or kick start your own compost to reduce household waste.
Setting your New Year Resolutions
If you’ve been following along as we looked each month at small and big ways to make meaningful change, then thanks for joining us. Hopefully you’ve identified several things you’ve now put in place to help reduce your environmental impact.
As we look towards January though, it’s never too late to start making resolutions to be more sustainable in 2023. Why not chose a few initiatives you’d like to implement into your workplace or home life, and don’t forget to share them with us by tagging NRL in your social media posts.
If your New Year resolution is to move your business focus or career to the energy transition and renewable energy, then why not subscribe to NRL’s LinkedIn newsletter Net Zero News, to receive the latest monthly insight in your inbox.
Find out more
To find out more about how we’re reducing our impact on the planet, click on the link below.