10 Eco Friendly Christmas Ideas
Christmas day and the celebrations in December can mean a lot of consumption, unnecessary waste, and excess plastic packaging.... Or it can be a Green Christmas with these holiday tips and ideas. Discover our 10 Eco Friendly Christmas ideas and celebrate without the guilt this year!
1) OH CHRISTMAS TREE
The centrepiece of the celebration is always the Christmas tree! To minimise your impact, either choose a sustainably sourced real Christmas tree (and dispose of it at a local facility after Christmas to be recycled), or choose a second hand artificial one. If you must purchase a brand new artificial tree, choose a very high-quality one that will last a lifetime and not need replacing.
ECO FRIENDLY TREE AND DECOR BY @LOVEKK ON INSTAGRAM
2) GREENER GIFT WRAPPING
Save assorted gift wrapping paper, gift bags and containers from the gifts you are given throughout the year and reuse them for Christmas Gifts. You can also use childrens' artworks as a gorgeous and sentimental gift wrap.
Another idea is to wrap gifts in a gorgeous piece of fabric, such as a scarf or tea towel. This delights the recipient as they receive two gifts in one!
3) REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS
Be prepared and always carry reusable shopping bags for the many trips you end up taking to the shops in December.
Our brand new Reusable R-Pet Mesh Produce Bags are really handy to keep in your handbag or car and can carry all kinds of Christmas shopping.
OUR R-PET BAGS HOLD 2 KILOGRAMS OF CHRISTMAS SHOPPING EACH AND ARE AVAILABLE HERE
4) THOUGHTFUL FEASTING
Planning your Christmas menu and surrounding meals is another opportunity to be mindful of your environmental impact.
Source food locally from Farmer's Markets and choose organic where possible. Choose to reduce the amount of meat in the menu (it's so hot in Australia on Christmas day anyway!) and include ample vegetarian and salad options.
Don't over-cater to avoid food wastage, and get creative with incorporating leftovers into your meal planning in the days after Christmas.
ORGANIC FREE RANGE TURKEY FROM FRENCHES.FARM.UK ON INSTAGRAM
5) AVOID SINGLE USE PLASTIC
Do your very best to choose Christmas decor, gifts and food that is not packaged in any plastic.
Avoid using any cling wrap to store food, and instead invest in our reusable silicone bowl covers.
Add a touch of class to your Christmas tablescape (and avoid plastic straws) by providing guests with a beautiful stainless steel straw in their drink.
ACTIVATED ECO STOCKS A RANGE OF ECO-FRIENDLY STRAWS HERE.
6) LED LIGHTING
Ensure all of your Christmas lights are LED lights, which use 75 per cent less energy and can last up to 25 times longer. This means you'll save both energy and money. Our new Hooked Stainless Steel Pegs make hanging up your Christmas lights and decor a breeze!
PHOTO BY ATHLETIC_N_STYLE ON INSTAGRAM
7) DELIGHTFUL DECORATIONS
Choose non-plastic, high-quality decorations that will last a lifetime. Select decorations in classic Christmas colours or neutral colours that won't date and will always be stylish.
Christmas decorations made from recycled wood and produced by a small, local business are another beautiful choice!
CHRISTMAS DECOR BY @_ZILVI ON INSTAGRAM
8) CRAP FREE CRACKERS
Christmas Crackers are an environmentalist's worst nightmare! They are often filled with low-quality, plastic novelty toys which end up in landfill or our waterways! Also, they can be covered in plastic and have glittery elements.
Try using recycled toilet rolls or paper towel rolls and some recycled tissue or kraft paper to make your own DIY crackers instead!
CHRISTMAS DECOR BY @_ZILVI ON INSTAGRAM
9) CARBON OFFSET YOUR FLIGHTS
If you need to fly to visit family for Christmas, choose to carbon offset your flights. Airline travel has never been more popular or more dangerous to the planet.
In Australia, all of the funds raised via passengers' voluntary carbon offset purchases with Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Qantas are directed to the Fly Carbon Neutral program, which is verified by the government's National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS). The airlines do not charge an administration fee or take any cut.
10) CHOOSE GIFTS THAT LAST A LIFETIME
Activated Eco stocks a beautiful range of eco-friendly gift ideas, such as Stainless Steel Clothes Pegs, Kitchenware, Reusable Straws and Shopping Bags. Give a gift that lasts a lifetime and help your family and friends become more sustainable by shopping at Activated Eco this Christmas!
