The festive season may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s often also the most wasteful. From disposable wrapping paper to leftover food, it can be hard to know what to do with your waste at Christmas, or how to reduce it. Fortunately, Ecover has teamed up with Little Miss Waste Less to show you how easy it really is. If you’re looking to lessen your environmental impact this Christmas, all you need to do is waste one less thing. Here are a few ideas to get you started...
Take some inspiration from Little Miss Inventor this year by getting creative with your Christmas gifts. This is a great way to limit your festive waste, as homemade gifts require far less energy and resources to make than the mass-produced items you’ll find in many shops.
You could try a foodie gift, like homemade hot sauce, DIY gin infusers or stained-glass gingerbread biscuits, made using melted boiled sweets. Or you could go down the beauty route and make your own body scrub, face mask or bath salts. If you want to keep it Christmassy, you could make your own crackers with a surprise sweet treat inside, or maybe even a soy wax candle infused with your favourite festive scents, such as fir, cedarwood or cinnamon.
Don’t be like Mr. Greedy and buy too much food this Christmas. Instead, start by making a comprehensive shopping list and sticking to it. This way, you’ll never overbuy, as you’ll have checked your cupboards and freezer for any ingredients you might already have at home. And at the supermarket, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for, so you’ll be less likely to get drawn in by those tempting Christmas offers, always encouraging you to buy more than you need.
This also gives you the chance to plan a seasonal menu, prioritising local produce to lower your carbon footprint. Sometimes, these foods might have use-by dates before the big day, but don’t be too quick throw them away if you don’t use them before then. If they look and smell normal, and have been kept well chilled, they should still be edible. Of course, some ingredients, such as meat and fish, will only ever last a day or two past their use-by dates, so freezing them is often the best way to ensure they don’t spoil.
Did you know real Christmas trees can take years to decompose? So, if you really want to minimise your waste, you can take inspiration from Little Miss Waste Less and try buying or renting a potted tree instead. If you buy your own, you can keep it in your garden throughout the year, repotting it as it grows, and then bring it inside to decorate at Christmas. But once your tree reaches around six feet, you’ll either need to plant it in your garden, give it away or recycle it. That’s why it’s often easier to rent a tree from a local farm, as you can return it after Christmas for replanting.
Alternatively, if you do opt for a traditional cut tree, you can still follow Mr. Clever’s lead and prevent it from going to landfill by disposing of it properly, whether that’s through local recycling schemes or composting it yourself at home.
If, like Mr. Messy, you often have random bits and bobs lying around your house, why not try using some of them to make your own zero-waste decorations? For example, empty wine bottles work surprisingly well as candlestick holders, while odds and ends from knitting projects are great for making little crocheted tree decorations.
You can also make garlands using a wide range of everyday objects, from wine corks to pinecones. Any loose scraps of paper, such as gift wrap or parcel packaging, can be transformed into a garland of origami stars, while old oranges can be sliced, dried out in the oven and strung together for a colourful, Christmassy feel.
While you can opt for recyclable cards and wrapping paper, you could cut your waste even further with zero-waste or reusable alternatives. Virtual cards are a great option as they’re completely waste-free and can often be more personal than traditional greetings cards, as you can add photo slideshows, videos or voice messages. Meanwhile, when it comes to wrapping gifts, there are many reusable fabric options available, and you won’t even need sticky tape to use them, as you can just tie the fabric to hold it in place.
Finding new and creative recipes to finish up your leftovers is one of the most fun ways to reduce your festive food waste. Leftover meat is great for making a classic Christmas dinner sandwich or a hearty turkey curry, while a fridgeful of veg can easily be transformed into bubble and squeak, a delicious winter traybake or a spicy vegetarian chilli. Even leftover oil and fat can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and re-used for frying, roasting or flavouring gravy, soup and stock.
Plus, when you’re finished with all that cooking, you can clean up with Ecover’s Washing Up Liquid, and then top up your bottle by ordering a refill online here. Of course, if you’re really struggling to finish all your leftovers, you could always give some away to family, friends and neighbours, or donate to soup kitchens and food banks. And if all else fails, store the rest in the freezer for a later date.
Read the new book with your little ones to discover how we can all waste a little bit less #OneLessThing
Share