‘Tis the season to be jolly, but its no secret that the gifting season can create a LOT of waste. But fear not, there are many ways that you can be a little greener and a smidgen more ethical this Christmas. Remember, the small changes can amount to really big things, so here are 5 small ways you can reduce you waste and have a more ethical Christmas.

1.      Ditch the tiny plastic cracker combs - The average person in the UK will pull 3 christmas crackers during the festive season, that’s 154,017,483 nationwide. That’s 154,017,483 tiny plasctic pieces of nonsense that end up in landfill as soon as the season is over. Switch to an eco friendly cracker and do your bit to bring that number right down! We love these crackers from the RSPB, which are made of recycled card, contain chocolate that is palm oil free and by buying them from the RSPB you are also helping a charity. Winner all around.

2.  Shop Small - Why not support a local creative business this christmas? It is important to think about the ethical credentials of the retailers that you are buying from and whether they are transparent in all their processes and supply chains. It is also good to give a gift that keeps giving, such as our Reserva Braclets that save a class-room sized area of the rainforest, or our Fernweh collection that capture special memories and include a donation to IndiGo Volunteers. Isn't Christmas all about feeling good?

 3. Get rid of the glitter - During the festive season alone, in Britain we use over 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper over Christmas, which creates over 83 square kilometres of rubbish – that’s enough to cover the island of Guernsey! To make matters worse, most Christmas paper cant even be recycled due to the shiney coating or glitter. Go super simple and wrap your pressies in brown paper that can be recycled or Choose gift wrapping that can be used again, such as tin containers that can be used for storage, or tote bags that can be used for shopping by the recipient. If you are feeling really creative, learn the Japanese art of furoshiki, or knot-wrapping! This is a beautiful and unique way to present gifts wrapped in re-usable fabric pieces. You can get off-cuts from fabric stores for an even more eco-friendly option.

  4. Buy your food locally and know your portions - Get in the habit of supporting your local suppliers by making your big Christmas meal purchases at markets and independent shops near you. You’ll have a better idea of how the products were sourced or made and also know that the food on your table hasn’t racked up thousands of miles to get there. No one wants to go short on the food at Christmas (another roast potato anyone?) but doing a bit of research before you buy about recommended portion sizes can also really help to save on waste and money. I personally had a habit of buying enough food to feed a large primary school for Christmas dinner rather than the 10 people I was actually cooking for.

5.  Shop second hand for your festive outfit, or better yet, rent one! - Fast fashion is a real faux pas nowadays. How many times have you wasted money on a brand new oh-so-sparkly dress for the work xmas party, only for it to be popped to the back of the wardrobe for a year, dug out a year later and thrown away as it is no longer on trend? Why not shop second hand this year and grab yourself a bargin or even better, rent a dress for your special occasion? Sites like Girl Meets Dress allow you to rent beautiful dresses for a fraction of the price you would buy them for AND they offer next day delivery and free returns. Perfect!

It’s not always easy living ethically, lord knows there is so much we could change on a daily basis, but one or 2 of these small changes could help the planet, your wallet and help you get that lovely Christmassy feeling!

Be happy!