Tips for a Green Christmas...

It’s easy to forget the environment at Christmas, but a more sustainable festive season may not be as difficult as you think.

Each year we produce approximately 3 million tonnes of extra waste during the Christmas period; in the UK a billion cards could end up in the bin and up to 30% more glass will be thrown away.

The UK spends £20bn on Christmas with £1.6bn going on food and drink. Seven million children leave mince pies and a drink for Santa on Christmas Eve, we consume around 10 million turkeys, 25 million Christmas puddings, and drink 35 million bottles of wine!

However, most of the extra waste we create during the festive period can be reduced and recycled.

• Take the bus to go Christmas shopping.
• Take your own re-usable shopping bags with you when you do your Christmas shopping.
• Around 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging are thrown away over Christmas. When buying presents look out for those with minimal packaging, or items packed in recycled or recyclable materials, e.g. cardboard.
• Send e-Christmas cards or recycled cards. Last year we sent around 744 million Christmas cards. If all these were made from recycled paper, it would help to save the equivalent of 248,000 trees.
• Buy recycled wrapping paper, or even use old magazines or newspaper. More than 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper will be used on Christmas presents - the equivalent of 50,000 trees.
• Don't bin your wrapping paper. Recycle it in your green bin or reuse it. Last Christmas, it was estimated that 83 square km of wrapping paper ended up in UK rubbish bins.
• What's in season in December?Broccoli (purple sprouting), brussel sprouts, cabbage (savoy, spring green, winter green), carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, kale, leeks, parsnips, potato, turnip.Most people buy too much food at Christmas much of which goes to waste. This year try to plan your meals and only buy what you need.
• More than 10 million turkeys are bought and 4,200 tonnes of aluminium foil are thrown away in the UK each Christmas - if you can't re-use the foil for cooking, make sure you put it in the recycling.
• Buy a locally grown Christmas tree and remember to recycle it after Christmas. Trees can be taken to the Householders Recycling Centre where they will be turned into compost.
• Take any unwanted Christmas gifts to a charity shop or list them on Ebay.

For more green Christmas tips visit www.pect.net