Hello and festive greetings from Leeds RAG! With Christmas just around the corner.. (scary I know) and with how fast this year has gone, you know it’ll be here before we know it.
Christmas Day is by far my favourite day of the year, I’m still a huge kid and get so excited on Christmas Eve: in my house this day is dedicated to making Christmas treats and mince pies with my family (whilst consuming vast amounts of mulled wine and Baileys….) in anticipation for the big day. But it has to be said, as I have become more aware of the huge environmental impact surrounding Christmas, I am looking at things a little differently this year.
The waste associated with Christmas is shocking: annually in the UK we use 227,000 miles of wrapping paper and 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging. This is quite terrifying considering that this paper comes from trees whilst our ecosystems are simultaneously suffering from deforestation, and the plastic packaging is made from petrochemicals which can destroy our marine wildlife. But I don’t want to be all doom and gloom on you- the purpose of this blog is to suggest ways we can reduce our environmental impact this year, whilst still enjoying the festivities that we know and love.
1. Recycled wrapping paper.
Firstly, in my opinion, the easiest way to reduce the amount of paper waste we produce is to recycle what we already have in the house for wrapping paper. It is a great way to get creative; if you have any newspapers or magazines lying around- why not have some fun and decorate them with Christmas stamps and draw or paint on them to create a unique piece of wrapping that you didn’t even have to purchase. You’ll certainly be able to recognise which presents you wrapped under the tree….
Moreover, lots of retailers sell recycled wrapping paper options- a perfect way to get the traditional wrapping paper you want- without a negative conscience! My mum buys recycled brown paper for wrapping and decorates it with Christmas stamps, which would be another cool way to customise some recycled paper. If this isn’t an option, choose to purchase plain, coloured paper rather than the glittery paper so that it can be recycled.
And of course, after you and your loved ones have opened your presents- save the wrapping paper for next year!! It is much better to save the scraps and stick them together for another year than it is to buy brand new paper. Disclaimer: this will also give you a cool collaged effect and make your gifts look way more exciting than the rest…
2. Recycle or make your own Christmas cards.
As a nation we send an excessive amount of Christmas cards; if they were placed next to each other, it would cover the world’s circumference 500 times. Recycling these cards would make a huge difference to your overall Christmas consumption!! An easy way to make a sustainable change this Christmas is to create your own Christmas cards! This could be through upcycling the cards you received last year- you could cut out the image from the front and create Christmas postcards instead. Another great option with recycling cards is to cut out the image and use it as tags the next year. Alternatively, do some research and opt for local business that create cards out of recycled paper.
3. Choose to support local businesses.
Rather than giving your money to capitalist giants, such as Amazon, this Christmas why not take the time to research some independent businesses to help them survive these hard times. Here at Leeds RAG we love to support independent businesses- last month we had a virtual Christmas market dedicated to allowing local businesses a platform to promote their work and raise money for our charities, Labour Behind the Label and Carers Leeds, in the process. Check out our Instagram for more details about these businesses!!
4. Choose a veggie alternative.
Now for the main event….. Christmas dinner! I don’t know about you, but Christmas dinner has to be one of my favourite things about the big day. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most polluting: costing 150 million miles worth of carbon emissions. We consume 80% more during the festive period than any other time in the year. It also accumulates a large proportion of the waste associated with Christmas; on average a family wastes at least £40 worth of food and bins 230,000 tonnes of Christmas treats. This is crazy. Rather than throwing away the food, we need to find a way to save it- through turning it into boxing day left-overs or freezing it- there is no reason to bin this much food!! Moreover, in order to avoid this waste, try to only buy what is essential whilst on your Christmas shop- In know how hard it is to not be tempted by the amazing Christmas marketing… but we don’t need ALL those extra nibbles! Stick to what you actually need- we all have a tendency to massively overeat at Christmas- I know I do….
Furthermore, consider choosing a vegetarian option for your main this year. Incredibly, a turkey costs the environment over double the greenhouse gas emissions than a vegan nut roast alternative!! A nut roast is delicious, and with environmental alleviation like this- it is the perfect choice!
5. Choose ethical and sustainable gifts.
When choosing gifts this Christmas, try and pick ethical and sustainable brands to support. If you are in the mood to be generous, a fleece from Lucy and Yak, made out of recycled plastic bottles is the perfect present: super funky and kind to the environment!!! For the friends that need some relaxation and self-love, opt to grab them some sustainable bath products to help them unwind; if you are a fan of Lush, try the scent Twilight… you won’t regret it. For the men in your life, who are notoriously hard to buy for, opt for a pair of bamboo socks (way better than cotton for the environment!!) or browse second-hand vintage stores or Depop for a vintage tee or sweatshirt. Moreover, consider buying an experience for your loved one, over a material gift. For example, see if you could buy a gift voucher from your favourite independent café or restaurant, and set a date for after Christmas when you can return and redeem the gift of an experience at a place you love together.
Thank you so much for reading, we at Leeds RAG wish you luck in finding your Christmas presents, and we hope you bear this sustainability advice in mind!
Lots of love,
Leeds RAG Fashion Show x
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