Tips for an eco Christmas

Buy:

* Locally made

* Recycled and second hand

* World Vision, Oxfam Unwrapped or Givealittle vouchers.

* Rechargeable batteries for those Christmas toys and gadgets.

Get creative:

* Recycled Secret Santa: re-gift perfectly good ‘stuff’ that doesn’t get used and may be of interest to someone else.

* Cut down on multiple present purchases by assembling gift baskets for entire families.

* Make-your-own vouchers and give your time or and experiences as gifts, i.e. gardening, a picnic etc.

* Make-your-own gifts such as chutneys, jams, ginger bread, body scrubs, infused olive oil, scrubs, cleaning products.

* Give living plants.

* Help others be plastic free by giving cloth shopping bags, lunch wraps and stainless steel drink bottles.

Decorations and cards:

* Send electronic Christmas cards.

* Make-your-own cards and decorations.

* Cut up old Christmas cards for tags for presents next year.

* Save your decorations and reuseable items like wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags to use again next year.

Packaging:

* Avoid glossy and metallic wrapping paper which cannot be recycled.

* Make-your-own wrapping paper from newsprint, a great activity for children.

* Use twine, flax or fabric ribbons instead of tape (which is non-recyclable).

* Present gifts wrapped in fabric, or in bags or boxes that can be reused.

* Look for present options with no packaging.

Trees:

* Buy a living native Christmas tree in a pot to use year after year, or start growing one for next year.

* Build your own driftwood or cardboard tree.

Christmas dinner:

* Plan ahead and avoid plastic/throw away tableware.

* Recycle left-overs into new recipes.

* Join the Social Pantry Kāpiti Facebook page and offer your excess Christmas treats to others.

sources

https://www.zerowaste.co.nz

http://sustainable.org.nz/sustainability-news/sustainable-christmas-gift-ideas

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news