A mountain of holiday gifts and goods make their way out of outlets and into homes each holiday season. It is a sad fact that, not long after the festivities subside, many of those often well-intentioned gifts move quickly on to mounds of landfill.
Slowing the migration is as easy as setting your family the Green holiday Challenge to send as little as possible to landfill this holiday. Inspired by the target of a close to empty wheelie bin, you will all make decisions that generate less waste.
Many actions contribute to celebrating a green holiday, like locally-grown foods to reduce food miles, switching to LED eco holiday lights and donating gifts to charities. The massive amount of food, plastic and non-recyclable waste is the principle environmental problem, but it is a simple one for households to tackle.
Sit the team down before holiday and talk about ways to reuse, reduce and recycle. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Good for the environment plastic-free picnics
Disposable plastic plates and cups are comprised of petrochemicals, so pollution is made in their manufacture and when thrown-away they sit in landfill forever. Select reusable plates that you wash up or use palm leaf plates, a stylish plant alternative. They add a chic good for the environment style to your festive table and can be put onto your garden as mulch, rather than in the bin.
Trim a living tree
When Santa arrives in his carbon-neutral sleigh, surprise him with a live Australian Wollemi pine tree. This recently discovered prehistoric tree is now for sale in nurseries. A potted Wollemi can grow with your family to be trimmed year after year. Or, why not make it a tradition to find a lovely Eucalyptus branch that can be composted when the holiday festivities are over.
Wrap it again
A good stretch the budget and save piles of waste is to wrap presents in newspaper, magazines and even junk mail. For children use the comics, for car lovers use the motoring pages. Instead of wrapping, place gifts inside reusable shopping bags, or sew cloth bags from festive holiday material that your family can re-tie with ribbon yearly. For an additional special Green holiday touch, Earth Greetings make stunning post consumer waste wrapping paper with Australian holiday designs printed with vegetable inks.
Detour past the bin
, is this holiday gift likely to wind up in the bin within some weeks? If yes, opt for something else. The old saying quality not quantity is a fantastic friend of the planet. Even the cheapest items use the planet’s limited resources, energy and water to manufacture. Instead of buy a risky gift, regard a gift voucher or make a donation to a charity on behalf of the individual. Should you receive an unsuitable gift, pass it straight on to a charity like the Salvos.
A green holiday gift for your garden
Food scraps make up a large portion of rubbish and once in landfill they generate methane, a concentrated greenhouse gas. Compost at home instead and turn leftovers into fertiliser for your garden. The Bokashi composting bin is a popular system that sits conveniently in your kitchen.
Packaging-free paradise
Picture a paradise where holiday morning is free of mounds of discarded plastic packaging. It only takes a little bit more thought and effort. Locally made and hand-made holiday gifts are less likely to be over-packaged. A trip to the local Farmer’s Markets help you stock up on fresh festive food with minimal packaging.
Rather than talking rubbish; this holiday, your family will soon be asking is this for landfill, recycling or composting? And the joy of reaching your challenge will bring good tidings to all.
Biome Eco Stores is a chic retail outlet with a conscience. Firmly committed to eco friendly principles, Biome offers a unique and meaningful green holiday collection for gifts and decoration.
