The end of year celebrations are here! For the occasion, I wanted to share with you some little tips/advice for having a more responsible Christmas. Obviously this list is not exhaustive and far be it from me to give lessons, but we can each act on our own scale and at our own pace 😉. So, are you ready to experience the magic of Christmas while being more respectful of the planet?
WHAT DO WE DO FOR THE FIR?
This is the eternal question that comes up every year! A natural tree, artificial tree, no tree at all?
To be the most ecological, I can advise you to opt for a natural fir tree grown locally and having an organic label, red label, blue plant, MPS… These are fir trees from responsible or sustainable sectors and which are not harvested in forest. You can then have it collected by your city so that it can be recycled into compost or wood chips.
As for the artificial tree: it's a really good idea! Its carbon footprint is very large and it does not recycle well. You would have to keep your artificial tree for almost 20 years for its cabon balance to become favorable... really not great!
Otherwise, you can also opt for a pretty all-wood tree. A fairly significant investment at the start (up to €300 in stores), but you can reuse it every year. For those who like to get their hands dirty, I have found a little DIY for you.
ECO-FRIENDLY AND/OR HOMEMADE DECORATIONS:
When it comes to decorations, we can also be a little more responsible!
Already, the simplest thing: we avoid buying a ton of new decorations every year 😉 Why not simply reuse decorations from previous years? And if you want something new, you can turn to beautiful pieces of very good quality that you can keep for a long time and that you will enjoy bringing out again over the years.
You can also opt for DIY Christmas decorations. A great activity to prepare for the end of year celebrations with the family with a backdrop of Christmas carols 🤩. You can make, for example: a Christmas wreath using dried branches and bread cones, pretty garlands in fabric or colored paper, small candlesticks for the Christmas table... Let your imagination run wild!
ECO-RESPONSIBLE GIFTS:
For ethical and eco-responsible gifts you have no excuse 😂 I wrote you an article specifically on this with more than 50 gift ideas. There is something for all tastes and budgets!
I tried to highlight designers and brands that I love and you will also find some gems from my latest collection ❄️
👉 Christmas 2022: 50 ethical and ecological gift ideas
ZERO-WASTE PACKAGING:
All your Christmas presents are finally ready. Mission accomplished ! But something is wrong...
How to pack them? Traditional wrapping paper is superb with all these little patterns, but it is far from being ecological... Do you have the image in mind? That of the mountain of paper after opening the gifts 🙈 So, if you use disposable gift paper, try to keep it and reuse it from one year to the next or opt instead for recycled and/or recyclable packaging : newspapers, magazines, shoe boxes...
🎄 But if you want to bring even more magic under the tree , you can use the Furoshiki technique or opt for pretty bags. But what exactly is a Furoshiki? It is a traditional Japanese technique which consists of folding and tying fabrics for wrapping gifts. Your loved ones can then reuse them to give a gift in turn. It's ecological, aesthetic and super practical, what more could you ask for? 🤩
If you are interested in this zero-waste alternative, I have released a Christmas collection on Trinquette specially dedicated to gift wrapping. You will find lots of Furoshikis there, but also bags of all sizes for children and adults. If you want to take a look, it’s here: Christmas collection 🎁
A MORE RESPONSIBLE MEAL:
Christmas dinner is like THE most anticipated moment of this period. It’s an opportunity to bring your family together around a festive menu! However, it is also a significant source of waste. Indeed, the quantity of food purchased and produced during this period is staggering when we know that a good part ends up... in the trash!
To limit your impact, I can advise you to avoid supermarkets as much as possible and to consume more locally and in season by favoring your purchases at markets or directly from local producers. To avoid food waste, I also advise you to plan your party menu in reasonable quantities. The idea is to have fun, not to eat until you can't eat anymore 😅 And if there are leftovers: hop into the fridge with a small flat charlotte!
Regarding the decoration of the table, choose reusable rather than disposable. It's much more aesthetic and more environmentally friendly, so why deprive yourself of it! So, no more disposable napkins and cardboard tableware, we opt instead for pretty fabric napkins and traditional tableware (and the little half hour of dishwashing or dishwasher that goes with it 😂).
There you go, I hope this article was able to give you some ideas 🌿 And you, what are your eco-friendly tips & advice during this time?
I wish you a very happy holiday 🎉
Roman.
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