Christmas is just around the corner. Make it a green Christmas with Neco's top 10 tips to make your festive season more sustainable and kind to our environment.
1. Turn off those fairy lights
They look beautiful, but they do use a bit of juice! Make sure you switch them off when leaving the house. And if you're buying new lights, make sure they're LEDs.
2. Recycle those Christmas cards
If you send Christmas cards, make sure they're the recycled paper variety. Or better still, cut up those old Christmas cards you received last year and recycle them into unique creations of your own! Or even better still, send an email card!
3. Recycle wrapping paper and packaging
Make use of all that once-used wrapping paper next year. And don't forget to dispose of any needless packaging that comes with your gift in a considerate way.
4. Choose a renewable Christmas tree
There are pros and cons to having a "real" Christmas tree. On the pro side, your tree is a renewable resource (in that you can grow another one) and it's got to be better than a plastic tree with high embodied energy and low amounts of recycled content.
5. Think rechargeable batteries
Lots of gifts and gadgets require batteries. Power them with the gift that keeps in giving - rechargeable batteries. Your local landfill will love you for it!
6. Eat Organic
There is nothing better than Christmas lunch or dinner. To make it that little bit more eco (and healthy) choose organic ingredients for your table. And if you're a turkey lover, make sure it's free range.
7. Give an eco gift
An eco gift tells the recipient that you care about the environment, and they should too! Give your favourite climate change skeptic a gift from our eco store - you may convince them to become a believer!
8. Offset your travel
Flying somewhere for Christmas? Spend a few dollars extra and offset your flights. And you're travelling in the car, consider giving your car the gift of 12 months of carbon offsets from a company like Greenfleet.
9. Go easy on post-Christmas sales
Like it or not, Christmas has become a festival of consumerism, which is fine in moderation. Hold off on the post-Christmas sales and ask yourself if you really need that new TV or handbag or whatever it might be.
10. Recycle unwanted gifts
We've all received them - the pair of socks or earrings or something else that just isn't quite us. Take it down to your local Salvo's store. Remember, one person's trash is another's treasure.
