The holiday season is a time of overindulgence – food, gifts, drink, and decorations galore! While these things bring us joy and happiness, they can have disastrous impacts on the environment.
Much of the excessive waste generated during the festive period finds its way to landfill sites, which produce harmful gases that contribute to global warming. That being said, we can all do our bit for the planet while still enjoying the festivities. To find out what steps you can take to reduce your waste this Christmas, keep reading.
Reduce food waste
Despite food being a crucial part of the Christmas festivities, we actually end up generating 30% more food waste at this time of year. Most of this ends up in landfill, which doesn’t do the environment any favours.
It’s natural to want to err on the side of caution by buying more food than you need – the last thing you want is the in-laws going hungry on Christmas day, after all. That being said, it’s pointless being left with lots of leftover food if you have no idea what to use it for. We recommend either only buying what you need, or planning your meals in advance and finding exciting recipes to put your leftover food to good use.
Pre-loved presents
There’s nothing wrong with buying second-hand – if anything, preloved presents can be more personal and meaningful. With just a little bit of perseverance, you’ll be able to find loads of high-quality, unique gifts in your local vintage store, market, or charity shop.
From a different perspective, if you receive any unwanted gifts this Christmas don’t be afraid to donate them, sell them on, or re-gift them. It’s far less wasteful, both environmentally and economically, to give these items the chance of finding a home elsewhere than just throwing them away.
Sustainable wrapping paper
The statistics about wasted wrapping paper in the UK are staggering. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has estimated that the wrapping paper used in the UK each year could wrap Guernsey. You read that correctly – we could wrap an entire island!
Most wrapping paper isn’t recyclable, so it just gets thrown away. If you’re unsure whether yours is recyclable, do the scrunch test: if the wrapping paper stays in a ball when scrunched, it can probably be recycled. If it doesn’t, it’s not recyclable.
This year, make the switch to sustainability by wrapping your gifts in brown paper – it’s recyclable and biodegradable, so it’s a much better choice for the planet. It can still be spruced up and made to look festive using things like environmentally-friendly ink, biodegradable glitter, ribbons and string. Other sustainable alternatives include old newspapers and magazines or colourful fabrics.
We’re committed to protecting the environment here at Batesy Skip Hire. For that reason, we always recycle as much of the waste collected in our skips as possible. If you’re having a clear-out ahead of the holiday season or are beginning a renovation project once the festivities are over, our skip hire services can help. We’ll collect and dispose of your waste in a sustainable way, so that you can be sure you’re doing your bit for the planet. Contact us today to find out more.
