Environment / Christmas
Waste free Christmas Presents
If you’ve had it with plastic packaging or wondering how to do a low waste Christmas presents this year here are some tips:
Give experiences not things – Memories live longer than things, so find a Bristol experience to treat a loved one too.
Presence not presents – We get a feel-good factor from giving, because it releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin – the Happiness Trifecta. Get the same experience from giving time, make a personal voucher offering to help a loved one with something that you are normally too busy to do.
Make things – Homemade chocolates, chutneys or pickles in second-hand jars are really low waste personal gifts.
Re-gift – Give items you don’t want to someone who will appreciate them. Sitting unused wastes the energy and materials that went into making them.
Buy second – hand – Try a second-hand challenge and only buy from charity, vintage and antique shops and markets.
Quality not quantity – Rather than buying token gifts for everyone, agree with family or friends to buy one thoughtful present for one person.
That’s a wrap – Most wrapping paper isn’t recyclable because it has foil or plastic coatings, so consider alternatives like bright material, brown paper, maps or colourful magazines.
The mountain of glass recycling after Christmas in Bristol.
Bristol Waste saw a 25% increase in waste from December 2017 to January 2018- see how you can reduce your waste this year with their online tips on festive waste and festive food
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