WATCH YOUR CHRISTMAS WASTELINE!

Reduce waste over Christmas, and give the environment some goodwill

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving – but in the UK we tend to give our bins and landfill sites a bit too much.

In the UK, we create around three million tonnes of waste over the festive period (source: DEFRA) – a staggering 50kg each.

So, with a white Christmas a traditionally slim possibility, we want to help you have a green Christmas – by watching your wastelines!

Great recycled gifts

Give someone a green Christmas gift – there are loads available, from watches made from cork to vases made from books. Take a look at www.recyclenow.com/shopping for a whole range of ideas.

Dazzling decorations

Deck the halls with boughs of holly - along with fallen twigs, tree moss
and berries. Why bother braving the high street, when your garden
or a walk in the countryside can provide some stunning organic Christmas decorations?

Remember to ask the permission of the landowner before taking anything, and only take small amounts of wild materials.

Christmas Day delights

Remember that some wrapping paper, plastic and cardboard packaging can be recycled. And if any of your presents, such as toys or electrical goods, need batteries, always choose rechargeables.

Feel good feasting

The heat is usually on to produce an epic Christmas lunch – but many of us buy too much and use overly packaged food. Making a list and sticking to what you need will save you time and money. Buying loose vegetables means you can choose the best quality, tastiest ones.

Also, remember that this year’s veg peelings and scraps are next year’s garden compost!

Remember to recycle

With all the fun and food you’ll be enjoying, it’s easy to forget your good habits – so remember to recycle. For example, all those pickle and cranberry sauce jars are easy to recycle – but only one in six of us actually does it! Check Where can I recycle? for details of your local doorstep collections.

Give cards a second life

Remember to recycle your Christmas cards on the twelfth day - otherwise a whopping one billion cards could be heading for landfill. Support the Woodland Trust and take your cards to a Tesco (not Express), a mainland high street branch of WHSmith, or TK Maxx – they’re all collecting cards to recycle.

Finally, remember to recycle your Christmas tree – your local DIY or garden centre may offer tree recycling, or ask your local council.

For more green Christmas ideas, take some advice from the Woodland Trust or read our top Christmas tips.
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