T’is the season to be jolly (and to recycle)!
There are many ways that we can reduce the amount of waste we produce over Christmas, and it’s important that we all do our bit. Plastics, paper, cardboard, food waste and green waste can all be reduced, and by doing so we can help to protect the environment.
Christmas is a time when we tend to produce a lot of waste, but by following a few simple tips we can all reduce the amount we produce. For example, rather than using disposable plates and cups, why not use reusable ones instead? You could also try making your own Christmas decorations out of recycled materials or getting a real Christmas tree rather than an artificial one.
There are plenty of ways to reduce waste this Christmas, and it’s something we should all try to do. Not only will it help to protect the environment, but it will also save us money in the long run.
The Importance of Recycling Over the Festive Season
Although Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, it is often a time of year when people can be quite wasteful. When you’re busy seeing friends and family, cooking, partying, and having fun, it can be easy to forget about the importance of reducing and recycling. However, consider that your waste is more important than ever, as more of it is being produced!
Over the Christmas period households and businesses create extra waste. One reason is that there are more celebrations and parties, so people buy more food and drinks. They may also buy new Christmas decorations or presents, which means more packaging and wrapping paper.
Often, people throw away their Christmas trees after the festive period, contributing to extra waste.
The good news is that a lot of this waste can and should be recycled.
How to Reduce, Reuse & Recycle This Christmas
There’s something else that comes hand in hand with Christmas, along with turkey, Christmas pudding and mince pies – Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without endless bin bags full of used wrapping paper, packaging, the remains of pulled crackers, and all sorts of plastic inlays and cardboard from selections boxes and chocolates.
We can reduce our festive waste by recycling, reusing, and reducing and we have put together some tips and tricks to bear in mind during this year’s festivities:
Reuse Gift Bags
Reuse your old Christmas gift bags! If you’re anything like the rest of us, you know there is a cupboard or a drawer full of old Christmas gift bags. Instead of throwing them out regift them or let the kids have them for Christmas crafts!
Get Crafty With Gift Wrapping
Why not keep some of your old Christmas paper from this year’s gifts and make Christmas bows or tags for your gifts next year? Not only will it save you money, but you will also be repurposing and saving waste by not just throwing it all out.
Give Unwanted Gifts a New Home
Not everyone is great at gift giving and we have all received gifts and thought ‘what on earth?!’ when we open them. But rather than just discarding this and throwing it away, adding to even more waste, re-gift it! Surely there will be someone you know who would appreciate that odd gift. If not, drop it into a charity shop, don’t just throw it away.
Buy Recycled Cards
If you want to do your bit during the festive season, then buying recycled eco-friendly Christmas cards is a great start.
Many companies now offer recycled paper cards which are kinder to the environment, and some will even plant a tree for every card sold. So why not make this Christmas a green one?
Reduce & Reuse Food Waste
One way to reduce food waste is to reuse it. For example, you can turn leftover cooked vegetables into a soup or stew.
Boxing day is a great time to be with family and enjoy a delicious buffet, it’s also a great way to get rid of any leftovers from Christmas Day!
If there is any food left over, instead of throwing it away, take it to a local food bank. This will help those in need and make sure that no food goes to waste.
Support Local Farmers
If we want to save the environment, we need to support local farmers. Local farmers use sustainable practices that help the environment, and they also don’t have to transport their products very far, which cuts down on emissions.
So next time you’re ordering your ‘big shop’ online, make an effort to buy local!
Avoid Plastic Decorations
If you are looking to reduce waste and avoid plastic Christmas decorations, there are a few things you can do. One is to opt for decorations that are made from recycled materials. You can also look for decorations that are reusable or that can be composted.
Additionally, try to avoid single-use decorations, such as those made from paper or plastic.
Recycle Your Christmas Tree with KCM
Here at KCM, we offer a collection and recycling service within Rotherham for all real Christmas trees.
We would encourage you to make use of this service to ensure your Christmas tree is disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
After all, you don’t want to be on the ‘naughty list’ next year!