Christmas - it's everyone's favourite time of year. Who doesn't love unwrapping presents, eating copious amounts of food and overindulging?
Whether you like it or not, Christmas celebrations can amount to a lot of waste. Maybe 2018 is the year we consider a more sustainable Christmas.
Here are some ways you can make Christmas less wasteful, and more sustainable:
Gift Wrapping
Avoid any wrapping with foil as it cant be recycled and will end up in the landfill.
A cool idea is to wrap gifts in a scarf so the wrapping is also a gift.
Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree
There are lots of different opinions on this one
But it seems that the carbon footprint of a real tree is less than that of a plastic tree. While some may argue that an artificial tree is reusable, studies have estimated that an artificial tree would need to be used for anything from 10 to more than 20 years before it would be as sustainable as a natural tree.
Ditch the crackers
Crackers are made out of non-recyclable material. Sure they make a bang when two humans pull either side, but what's nestled in the centre? Another piece of plastic that will be thrown out after five minutes.
Christmas lunch
Kiwis love traditional Christmas fare, with ham and turkey as firm favourites on the dinner table. However, this year why not go light on the meat, and up the salad selection? It's better for you and the environment.
Don't buy stuff for the sake of buying stuff
If you don't know what to buy someone, get them an experience - don't buy them something you know they don't need like hand cream. And if you're the recipient of something you don't really need - like hand cream - give it to someone who would appreciate it. Regifting is the name of the game!
Homemade is best
Cheap, store-bought decorations just end up in the landfill. Why not customise your tree decorations by making your own? It's unique and a fun thing to do with the kids.
Plastic's not fantastic
Toys, packaging, decorations - plastic is everywhere at Christmas-time. There are alternatives, it just takes a bit of research and a bit less consumerism.
Watch the video for the full story.
Newshub.
