Giki shares their 8 top tips for a sustainable Christmas with Wild Magazine. The festive season is upon us, one of the most wasteful times of the year it’s important to try and limit our impact and remember to be sustainable where we can! From the presents we buy, how we wrap them and to the food on the big day, we can all make sustainable decisions. Here are some great tips to follow this Christmas!
1. Avoid unsustainable palm oil
Palm oil is used in mince pies, Christmas pudding, chocolates, gravy and lots more Christmas goodies. If it is not produced sustainably, it can cause deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia, which is threatening species such as orangutans, tigers and rhinos. But it’s possible to find sustainable or palm free options. Just check what you buy on the Giki app.
Palm oil is even used in mince pies!
2. Try organic food
The great thing about Christmas is that we cook so much from scratch and therefore, have more choice over our ingredients. Although organic can be more expensive, a little planning to maximise leftovers can help reduce costs. Organic farming is significantly better for biodiversity, because no artificial chemicals are used and this means more insects and wildlife. It is also much better for soil health. You can get organic fruit, vegetables and meat in the supermarket or via deliveries like Riverford and Abel and Cole.
Buy organic this Christmas!
3. Cut down on waste
This is great for the wallet and the environment. Food waste is responsible for up to 3% of our total environmental impact, or 16% of our food footprint. So planning can help, and if you are still stuck with too many leftovers, put them on Olio. It’s a great way to make sure your food doesn’t go to waste, because plenty of other people might be keen to have it.
(Giki analysis based on average UK diet with high levels of waste.)
4. Streamline your food packaging
Wherever you can, buy food with better packaging, which you can recycle. You can check this on Giki, just scan and look for the green Better Packaging badge. No packaging is usually best, but often very hard to find. Recyclable packaging, as minimal as possible comes next. Both these options will help reduce waste to landfill.
Reduce packaging wherever you can
5. Get arty with your wrapping paper
When it comes to wrapping paper, it can be a minefield. Much of it is not recyclable and we throw away over 100 million rolls every Christmas! So if you have an artistic streak, or kids who do, why not wrap in plain brown FSC paper (this hasn’t usually been bleached) and decorate it with your own picture. All the extras of ribbons and bows, tend to go straight to landfill and not buying them saves money.
Keep your wrapping simple
6. Go for a family secret santa
If you have a large group on Christmas day, this is a great way for adults or kids to give and receive one special present, rather than loads that can feel overwhelming. It also helps cut back on the £2 billion worth of unwanted Christmas presents every year! It is even rumoured that the Royal Family enjoy a secret santa!
Keep Christmas presents special and don’t over buy
7. Give the gift of an experience
Instead of stuff, why not take someone out or give your time or expertise. Offer your amazing babysitting skills to a friend or family member with young children; it might be their favourite present yet! Or adopt them an animal from WWF or other charities.
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