Making Christmas a little greener!

Written by Katie Bell

Photo Courtesy of Rachel Daniels

It’s Christmas! And with it comes the huge task of trying to be environmentally friendly and reduce our waste. So, with the big day fast approaching we thought we’d dish out some tips on how we can all reduce our waste over the festive period;

1. The equivalent to 50,000 trees each year is used for wrapping paper, so look to use alternatives such as recycled paper or boxes and gift bags that can be reused. Also, not all wrapping paper is actually recyclable; if it scrunches into a ball and stays scrunched, it can most likely be recycled. Check out the article below for some tips on making your Christmas wrapping look festive whilst still being eco-friendly;  https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/ecofriendly-gift-wrapping-guide
2. Every year, over 1 billion Christmas cards are thrown away in the UK alone. Why not try e-cards as an alternative? Or buy cards from charitable organisations that can then be recycled. Organisations such as the RSPB have a huge range of wildlife themed Christmas cards that can be recycled; just be sure to look for those without glitter or bows!
3. The amount of food we throw away each day is already huge, but at Christmas time this increases by 10-20%. Be sure to make a list of what you need and try to avoid over-buying. There are also loads of options for using up any leftovers you have, you can find loads of recipes online to ensure you are minimising the amount of food you throw away.
4. Give the gift of green! Eco-friendly products are great gifts for friends and family and there is a huge range of product available; from reusable coffee cups, to packaging free skincare products. Companies such as Babipur and Lush offer a huge range of great gift ideas.
5. Rather than giving things, look to gift ‘experiences’. Days out are much more thoughtful and are a great way to minimise waste, and there’s a huge range of options out there. For example, a restaurant voucher, cinema tickets, memberships to galleries and museums, or concert tickets just to name a few! If you are struggling to think of present ideas, why not ask for an expedition voucher giving you a discount on your booked expedition:  http://shop.opwall.com/product-category/expedition-vouchers/