It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Waste-mas

Posted byCaitlin TurnerPosted inUncategorizedTags:

How to have yourself a very merry Christmas – sustainably!

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart… But the very next day, you sent it to landfill alongside the other thousands of tonnes of Christmas waste…

It’s that time of year again! It’s December and if you listen closely, you can just about hear millions of tiny carboard advent calendar doors being ripped open, the little tinfoil window being scraped away by fingers desperate to start the Christmas countdown with a singular, miniscule chocolate.

For many, Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year: particularly to kids, wide-eyed at pretty lights and probably the twelfth Santa they’ve seen parked in a shopping centre grotto. But underneath the mountains of toys and wrapping paper lies a more sinister side to the celebration: Christmas is one of the most environmentally damaging dates on the conservation calendar.

It’s estimated that each Christmas the UK produces 30% more waste than during the rest of the year. The not-so-festive figures include 6 million Christmas trees, 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging, 4,200 tonnes of aluminium foil, 1 billion Christmas card, 227,000 MILES of wrapping paper… and 2 million turkeys, 74 million mince pies and 17.2 million Brussel sprouts.

Try singing that to ’12 Days of Christmas’.

Seeing those statistics on the surface would be enough to dampen anyone’s Christmas cheer. But the real coal in the stocking lies in the fact that most wrapping paper cannot be recycled, due to typically being laminated in plastic or foil. If its got glitter or sequins on it? Straight to general waste it goes, alongside tinsel and broken baubles (even if they’re glass) and all non-recyclable plastic packaging. Not to mention the nasty amount of methane produced by degrading food waste at a landfill site, as much as the resident seagulls may appreciate being involved in the festivities.

This is the part in every cheesy Christmas film where there’s trouble. It’s a foggy Christmas Eve, visibility is low, the reindeer can’t see a thing. What do we do now? How do we celebrate without hurting the sea turtles? Is Christmas ruined? Think of the children!

But, like Rudolph with his nose so bright, I’m here to guide the way to a sustainable Christmas tonight.

When Gift Shopping…

Did you know that approximately £42 million of unwanted Christmas presents find their way to landfill each year? Yeah, not great.

Gift shopping can be an incredibly stressful experience during the holiday period. Not only do you need to consider what you’re actually going to get for someone (do they already have it? Will they even like it? How many Lynx Africa sets can I gift before I’m disowned?), but venturing out to the shops is usually a feat in itself: queues upon queues, toy shops turning into warzones, Primark somehow developing a humid climate due to the crush of bodies. Last-minute panic buying (a special retail-worker shoutout to the guys that appear 30 minutes before closing on Christmas Eve looking for pyjamas for their partners despite not knowing their clothes size).

What’s that smell in the air? Stress.

Christmas shopping mad rush
A familiar and anxiety-inducing sight (credit: independent.co.uk)

This year things are a little unusual. We were gifted a pandemic, and some of us now find ourselves in lockdown. As a result, a lot of our Christmas shopping will be happening online. The go-to destination for many shoppers may be the Amazon marketplace. But with things working a bit differently these days, maybe it’s prime time to develop a new habit: supporting local businesses and independent creatives.

Shopping at major retailers comes with an environmental and ethical cost at times. Take clothing for example: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed that the fashion industry contributes 10% of annual global CO2 emissions, with 1.5 trillion tonnes of water used each year in clothing production processes. Not only this, but microfibres released from the washing of synthetic materials are also posing a severe threat to marine life (and, in due course, our fish suppers). Many items of clothing are also produced in developing countries: where lax regulations surrounding manufacturing pollution sees garment wastewater discharged into and polluting nearby waterways, and where transport overseas carries a significant carbon footprint. Not only this, but workers in the production line are often exploited: paid next to nothing for hard, labourious hours in often cramped, inhumane conditions.

And toys? It’s suggested that 90% of toys on the market are made from plastic. Nowadays, plastic is fortunately becoming a buzzword associated with images of garbage patches the size of land masses polluting the ocean, and turtles with straws stuck up their noses. People are beginning to see Frisbees for what they really are: a death trap for seals.

Popular in Europe
Like a scene from a horror film: a plastic doll stares out from a pile of litter on a beach in the Philippines (credit: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images)

So how do we get around this?

With the ever-growing empire that is the Internet, we now have access to websites that promote independent artists and businesses: Etsy, Not On The High Street, RedBubble to name a few. Here, individuals can market their own art and often handmade creations. Anything can be found here, from crocheted animals to jewellery made from seaglass, commemorative art prints to memory boxes. Buying from small businesses and individuals in this way not only provides substantial support and a source of income for them, but it also adds more sentiment to the gift as time, love and care is put into creating each item. Typically, you can find some brilliant, obscure pieces perfect for those with incredibly niche interests in your life. And from a sustainability aspect, independent businesses will often ship in plastic-free packaging and since the items aren’t mass produced in the same way those in major retailers are, the carbon and waste footprint is far less.

Another idea is to buy merchandise from charities. This year in particular, charities have been hit hard by the inability to fundraise. By buying t-shirts, water bottles or anything else from charity websites, it really helps to allow them to continue their vital work. Even better, why not make a donation to a charity that means a lot to the person you’re ‘buying’ for, instead of buying an actual item? As nice as it can be to have a physical present under the tree, charitable donations bring joy to both your loved ones and those that work hard to make our world a better, safer place. And after all, Christmas ‘tis the season of giving.

If you do want to continue using Amazon, why not consider shopping through AmazonSmile? At no extra cost to you, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice. This includes charities like the Marine Conservation Society, Switchboard (LGBTQ+ helpline), Shelter, and thousands more. It’s a simple switch to make, and allows you to give as you shop.

Why not consider re-gifting? Got stuff lying about unopened from last year, that’ll most likely never see the light of day otherwise? Consider re-gifting it to someone that may want it, or donate it to a charity.

Finally, when it comes to kids, it can help to think to the future. Have a chat with them about plastic pollution and the need to be more eco-friendly, kids are absolutely powerful advocates for change. Look to plastic-free toy retailers, second-hand shops. Gift them with something that’ll help develop skills and knowledge for the future: books, science or art sets, a guide to rockpools or birds or anything that may encourage them to get out in nature. DIY kits that can be done together. Things that will not only last longer physically, but also provide them with a nurtured interest to build upon for years to come.

Some Shopping Suggestions

From Scotland:

Heidrun Cosmetics

  • Based in Orkney, Scotland
  • Sells handmade soaps and cosmetics from locally sourced, raw ingredients
  • PALM OIL FREE
  • Website: https://heidruncosmetics.com/

Waves of Wool

Róis Seaglass

  • Based in Glasgow, Scotland
  • Sells handmade jewellery using seaglass found on Scottish beaches
  • All products are sterling silver
  • Website: https://roisseaglass.co.uk/

Lighthouse Bookshop – Edinburgh’s Radical Bookshop

Tobermory Chocolates

Cocoa Black

Glasgow Soap Company

The Fudge House

The Scottish Bee Company

Silver Darlings

Jenny Grace Jewellery

Alcohol

From the rUK:

Waves&Wild

  • Based in the UK
  • Sells nature-inspired, sustainable clothing
  • 50% of profits donated to charities including Wilderness Foundation UK and Sea Shepherd
  • Website: https://waveswild.com/

Hannah Elizabeth

York Lucky Cats

MermaidMakesWaves

Felt So Good

The Serenity Project

The Sea Tree Company

  • Based in the UK
  • Sells jewellery inspired by the ocean/wilderness, including seaglass bracelets
  • Donates every month to Surfers Against Sewage from profits
  • Website: https://www.theseatreecompany.com/

When Wrapping…

So 227,000 miles. That’s a lot huh? 227 trips in Proclaimers’ journeys to wherever or whoever they intend to fall on the doorstep of. As shiny, sparkly and wholesomely Christmassy wrapping paper, bows and ribbons can be: it’s also very much the ghost of Christmas past, present and future for the environment.

Signs Of The Times Buried In Holiday Trash Heaps | NW News ...
A colourful view from the the back of a rubbish truck in Idaho (credit: Jessica Robinson, Northwest News Network)

Top of the naughty list when it comes to Christmas wrapping is glitter. By this point we’ve probably watched enough Attenborough documentaries to realise microplastics = very bad news. Glitter is a microplastic. If glitter is found to contaminate processed loads at recycling plants, it can lead to the entire load being abandoned to landfill, or can even entirely clog recycling machinery. And if it gets in our waterways? Well we’ll be eating some very snazzy salmon in the not too distant future.

Obviously, not all wrapping contains glitter. But at this time of year – when all things are bright and beautiful – there’s always another Scrooge of a material out there, striking fear into the heart of environmentalists at this time of year. The stuff that makes our wrapping paper shiny often deems it unrecyclable, as does any residual sellotape or bows left behind. So what can we do to resolve this?

Firstly, if you’ve received gifts in traditional wrapping paper, do the ‘crunch test’ to help you decide what bin it belongs in: if the paper stays scrunched up, it can go to recycling! But if not, it has to go in general waste. You can also even save up paper from previous years to be reused.

If wrapping gifts however, try to avoid traditional paper where possible. Instead, wrapping in old newspapers, investing in recyclable/reusable or even compostable wrapping paper and tape (check out https://www.planetwrapit.com/ for some ideas), or maybe wrapping things in old t-shirts and clothing is a better way to go. Ever heard of the Furoshiki method of wrapping in cloth? Check out Edinburgh-based Furoshiki Giftwrap (https://www.furoshiki-giftwrap.co.uk/faq) to find out how you can adopt this beautiful Japanese artform of wrapping objects in fabric for your own presents. Recycled brown paper with a nice (reusable) fabric bow is a very aesthetic look this season too, or see if you can present your presents in a gift bag or basket which can be reused time and time again!

sashiko furoshiki by Saké Puppets
The beauty that is the Japanese artform of Furoshiki wrapping (credit: Angela, Sake Puppets)

What about Christmas cards? Steer clear from those containing the dreaded g-word, and opt for those printed on recycled paper, that can be recycled or – even better – can be planted! Retailers such as The Wildlife Gift Shop (https://thewildlifegiftshop.co.uk/eco-friendly-christmas-cards/) and The Eco Friendly Card Shop (https://thewildlifegiftshop.co.uk/eco-friendly-christmas-cards/) both sell cards made from recycled/recyclable materials and also donate some of the proceeds from card sales to charity. FireBox also sells ‘plantable’ cards made from seeded paper, however these can be quite pricey for just a pack of 3. So why not invest in some seeded paper and some eco-friendly/vegan-dye pens and make your own cards for a more sentimental Christmas touch?

When Cooking…

Christmas is one of the most food-wasteful times of the year, causing all kinds of problems between the amount sent to landfill, its associated carbon footprint and the recyclability of the packaging it all comes in. Many people resort to panic-buying: excessively piling the parsnips into the trolley at M&S, fuelled only by the fear of granny missing out on the pigs ‘n’ blankets and the chaos it would cause. But when the dust settles on Boxing Day and your fridge still looks like it was stolen from the butcher’s aisle, what do you do with all that waste?

A nifty little Government food-awareness service called Wrap (https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/) may be something to turn to, advising you on everything from how to store leftovers, what you can make with them and even providing some Christmas dinner ideas depending on the size of the group you have visiting. The number one tip for Christmas food shopping is to of course take a breath and only buy what’s needed (and liked, Brussel sprouts are a contentious subject still), but where there are leftovers then using them to make other dishes (plenty can be found online or even as recipe cards in supermarkets), or properly storing them to be used later will be key factors in reducing food wastage. Fortunately, food waste can be easily composted and disposed of in food waste bins too, but it’s always better to reduce waste as far as possible in the first place.

Another idea to reduce the carbon footprint of your dinner is to consider more vegan or vegetarian options (or at least a small, organically raised turkey if meat is a must have). Plenty of supermarkets now offer vegan/veggie alternatives to Christmas dinner staples – check out ASDA’s extra-special vegan stuffed ‘turkey’ joint! – so why not try something new? Meat consumption is responsible for 14.5% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and with around 2 million turkeys going to waste each Christmas, maybe it’s time to break tradition.

Asda-Vegan Turkey Joint – Under The Christmas Tree
ASDA’s Extra Special Vegan Turkey-style joint (with caramelised onion stuffing), serves 6 for £5 (credit: ASDA)

When Decorating…

Handmade. That’s the way to go. Break out the polymer clay, gather yourself some pinecones and get the family round to make decorations together! YouTube is PACKED full of videos on do-it-yourself Christmas décor, and the memories make while you create them will last a lifetime. Everything from baubles to wreathes can be made with a bit of twine or a coathanger, some nuts and berries and – if you want to add some extra flair – eco-friendly gold paint which biodegrades easily in soil or water. Oven-baked clay decorations can last for years, and it’s an activity younger kids will love. Opt for solar-powered or LED fairy lights, lose the plastic tinsel. And if you can’t find time to create, just be sure to reuse decorations each year instead of constantly buying new ones.

A DIY wreath kit made using wire, moss, and foliage from Boutique Blooms (credit: Dainty Dress Diaries, daintydressdiaries.com)

Christmas crackers are a devil in disguise, almost literally. Hidden in just about every fancily-packaged cracker are small, often single-use plastic items. In the best case scenario, these items make their way to the bottom of random drawers around the house, never to resurface again. Even better, the items are usable. But usually they’re not, and they’re non-recyclable, and yet another contribution to the 8 million tonnes of plastic that makes its way into our oceans each year. Eco-friendly Christmas crackers are becoming a more common feature online, but a better alternative is to make your own ‘crackers’ using brown paper and reusable ribbon, or make Christmas envelopes or sacks. Pop in a sweet or two and write your own jokes, and you’re sorted! The same idea can be applied to advent calendars too, which often contain plastic trays. Get a reusable calendar and put your own treats in it!

Reusable Advent Calendars For Families
A reusable advent calendar that allows you to include your own sweets and treats (credit: Kate Schweitzer, PopSugar)

When it comes to Christmas trees however you have two options. Plastic is one (did we really just say that?!): the tree can be reused time and time again, every year. But plastic trees are only an option if they are reused, and annually 14% of plastic Christmas trees still find themselves in landfill and cannot be recycled. Plastic trees would have to be reused at least 10 times in order to maintain a lower environmental footprint than a real tree. Real trees are the better option, both in terms of carrying less of a carbon footprint (albeit still 16kg of CO2) and being able to either be replanted in a garden if you have one, or broken down into woodchips. If you get a real tree this year and need to dispose of it, check with your local council to see how you can do this. The best option is to consider renting a tree – as an estimated 7 million Christmas trees find their way to landfill each year – or purchasing a tree either from a garden centre (such as Dobbies) that present it to you potted so it can be later replanted, or from a charity. The Caring Christmas Trees project – operated by the Bethany Christian Trust – allows you to purchase a tree from one of 3 locations in Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife), and not only will the trees be replanted afterwards, but profits go towards supporting the Bethany Christian Trust’s work in helping to end homelessness in Scotland.

With the climate in a bit of a crisis, we should all set a New Year’s resolution to find ways to live more sustainably. We all want to enjoy the holidays, and can probably agree that the wastage has to be reduced. For our planet, the waste doesn’t only come round once a year: it stays, it lasts, and each year that it continues it only gets worse. So, support independent creatives, only buy the food you need (and test some vegan options while you’re at it), learn Furoshiki, put your creative skills to the test and rent a Christmas tree! Remembering these nifty tips and tricks this year – and every year – will ensure that it really is a happy Christmas to one and all.

Published by Caitlin Turner

Dad said I should do this. BSc(Hons) Marine Biology graduate and marine conservationist. F1 and FC Barcelona fanatic.

One thought on “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Waste-mas”

  1. Excellent article and something we can all celebrate. There is no need for all the waste we produce at Christmas when we can choose to do it better so easily and often for no more expense or even more cheaply. Why do so many people insist on serving food no one wants to eat or chooses things with more plastic packaging than the gift? And as for the lynx gift set … which family is not guilty of sending a loved one that (I know I am).

    Have a wonderful Christmas and a fun time, try something a little different and establish some great new traditions for future Christmases!

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