Erin has put together her Top 10 Tips on how to host a Green Christmas including the giving of a biodegradable gift card.
1. GIVE A PLANET FRIENDLY GIFT
With more than 10 billion plastic gift cards in circulation worldwide, over 34 million kilograms of PVC material end up in landfill every year releasing potentially damaging chemicals into our waterways and environment. A biodegradable gift card could be the solution!
2. LOW ENERGY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
We all like to decorate our Christmas trees and home with hundreds of little twinkling lights – this Christmas go green and replace your existing lights with LEDs. They use up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent Christmas lights.
3. MAKE YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS CARDS
Get creative and make personalised Christmas gift cards using recycled paper and materials. Add colour with recycled wrapping paper, ribbons or photos. If art and craft is not your thing, purchase Christmas cards from organisations that raise funds for charity or a special cause.
4. FESTIVE SEASON FROCK
The Festive Season calls for a new outfit. Whether it’s for Christmas Day or New Years Eve, this year make your selection from Australian retailers who use organic fabric to make beautiful garments that not only look amazing but love the earth. Over 80,000 tonnes of old clothes will be thrown away this Christmas, so be generous and donate your old clothes to a local charity.
5. ECO GIFT WRAPPING
When giving gifts make sure to use gift bags, boxes or recycled wrapping paper. Bags and boxes last longer and can be reused. Australians waste approximately 4,000 tonnes of paper each year – the equivalent of 25,000 trees.
6. GREEN CHRISTMAS DINING
Plan the menu with care if cooking at home for friends and family. Cut your costs and waste by not over catering. The Australia Institute estimates Australia’s spend $10.5 billion each year on food that ends up in landfill releasing methane gas.
7. FRESH AND LOCAL
If you’re in charge of Christmas lunch, visit your local fresh food supermarket to buy fresh, seasonal produce. It doesn’t get tastier than organic and free range produce and your guests will love you for it.
8. ECO ENTERTAINING
When entertaining at home, set the table with organic fabric tablecloths and napkins that can be washed and reused. Avoid the paper versions that contribute to our waste. Turn off the lights and enjoy dinner by candlelight – soy, beeswax or natural vegetable-based candles are biodegrade and smoke-free.
9. REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS
When out shopping for all your gifts and necessities for the big day, make sure you bring along your cotton reusable shopping bag. Each year, we consume an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up in landfill taking 400 – 1,000 years to break down.
10. ENJOY THE OUTDOORS
Enjoy the sunshine and spend Christmas in the great outdoors. Take the family down to the beach or the local park for a Christmas picnic that will help to cut down on electricity and water usage in your home.
To order a biodegradable gift card for Christmas online see Biodegradable Gift Card
Written by Sassi Sam – see the article on her site: Erin McNaught: Top 10 Tips for having a Green Christmas this year
Image credits:
Lead image by nuttakit FreeDigitalPhotos
Erin McNaught image by Alpha via Flickr Creative Commons.
