How To Have A Sustainable Christmas?

It’s that time of the year! We’re just a few weeks away from the most expected holiday and we couldn’t be more excited. Who doesn’t love to go on a good Christmas shopping or put up the Christmas decorations? Christmas is celebrated all around the world and we think this is the perfect opportunity to make people conscious and give them a few tips on how to make their Christmas more sustainable. Small changes can make all the difference in reducing our environmental footprint, especially over Christmas, when the potential for waste, overconsumption, and mass shopping is high. 

This time of the year is perfect to become part of a movement towards a more sustainable future. There are so many Christmas hacks we can implement, from the things we eat and wear to the gifts we shop for, there are so many small changes we can all do to help build a better world. Today, we’re going to provide you with a list of useful tips on how to have a more sustainable Christmas.

Get A Real Christmas Tree

Real Christmas trees are much more sustainable than artificial ones. They don’t require the intensive carbon emissions it takes to produce and ship artificial ones. Instead, they release oxygen into the atmosphere and take in carbon dioxide while they are growing. According to USA Today, Americans purchase approximately 10 million artificial trees each season. The added impact of all those artificial bushes made of plastic and metal is that they usually ship here from China, increasing carbon emissions and resources. These trees are not recyclable or biodegradable, so even if they do happen to last you 10 years before breaking, they will still end up in the trash contaminating more. 

Wrap Gifts With Recycled Paper 

Although paper is recyclable, a lot of gift wrap is made with shiny foil and glitter, which can’t be recycled, so it has to go in the trash. There are a lot of alternative options to wrap your Christmas presents this holiday season to make your festivities greener. Check out local shops for biodegradable materials to help you wrap your gifts or even go into Youtube and get creative ideas on how to reuse materials you have at home! This is very simple and easy, so no excuses! Don’t waste any more paper this holiday season. 

Avoid Plastic Christmas Decorations

Did you know that plastic is one of the materials that pollute the most? Almost all decorations are made of plastic or similar materials, and in the Christmas season, the amount of waste is huge. Let’s opt for different choices, go for real, fresh decorations made up of natural materials. You can even make your decorations that will be less expensive and at the same time more sustainable. Remember that the most eco-friendly Christmas decorations are the ones you already own, re-using what we already have is always the best choice to be zero-waste. 

Switch to LED Christmas Lights

If you want to light up your house or your Christmas tree look for alternative options! Nowadays there are a lot of eco-friendly options when it comes to lightning. LEDs are the perfect example, they are way better than the traditional colorful Christmas lights because they use up to 80% less energy. Also, a great option is to switch to solar power lights, this way you will not only be helping the environment but you will reduce your energy bills as well.

Remember the True Meaning of Christmas

Finally the most important of all is remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Is it the gifts, the food, and decorations? Or is it spending precious time with your loved ones and reflecting over the past year and being grateful for what you have?

From part of the EHR family, we want to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas full of health, happiness, peace, and prosperity. We are thankful that you are part of our community and we hope you continue to be so in the years to come. 

Cheers to you, cheers to friends and family and cheers to our planet!