🎄5 Ways to Go Eco-Friendly This Christmas🎄

 

Christmas is a beautiful excuse to get together with friends and family and share love, laughter, gifts, and gratitude. Unfortunately, it can also have some significant environmental implications. For example, people in the UK use 125,000 tons of plastic packaging for Christmas gifts. Packaging aside, almost all aspects of the holiday have some environmental cost. From travelling to see loved ones to manufacturing Christmas decor, there are many ways that our merriment affects the planet. 

 On the other hand, that also means many opportunities to make Christmas more sustainable. In many cases, a few simple swaps can make a big difference - it can even be quite fun to go eco-friendly! Here are our top suggestions.

 

1. Serve a Smarter Christmas Dinner

For many of us, the excitement of Christmas revolves around the special foods we get to eat. Yet what we put on our plates has a significant environmental effect. The average 12-person meal generates about 436 kilos of carbon dioxide - mostly because most people eat turkey to celebrate the holiday.

 You don’t have to give up on traditions completely, though. Aim to swap the turkey for a more earth-friendly option, like legumes or tofu. Or, you may save on emissions by getting ingredients locally. Every bit helps! Additionally, carefully planning how much to cook can help you avoid food waste which is also more sustainable.

 

2. Choose Palm Plates

Families across the world use plastic and styrofoam plates on Christmas. This is totally understandable - disposable plates help you save time on clean-up so you can spend more time with your favourite people. 

 Instead of opting for plastic and styrofoam plates, which can last hundreds or even thousands of years in landfills and use precious resources to make, opt for palm leaf plates. Canape King’s palm plates are made of fallen palm leaves, so they’re entirely natural, biodegradable, and have minimal effect on the Earth. You can even get palm cutlery, cups, bowls, platters and much more. Check out all the options here.

 

 

3. Choose Natural Decorations

Many of our holiday decorations are made of plastic. While some of it may be recyclable, tinsel and glitter are not. Plus, most holiday decorations usually end up in thrift stores and, ultimately, landfill rather than recycling. 

 Instead of using these items, choose natural decorations that will biodegrade naturally. For example, you can string cranberries to decorate your tree, dry orange slices, and create Christmas tree ornaments. Use natural fir garlands. You can even repurpose glass bottles, add some ribbon, and create vases, candleholders, and centrepieces. 

4. Use What You Have 

If you already have an artificial Christmas tree, use it. At this point, you’re not creating any new demand for a fake or real Christmas tree, so it’s most eco-friendly to just use what you have. If you don’t already have an artificial tree, you might opt to buy one from a thrift store. 

 If you do want to buy a real tree, the main environmental concern relates to what you do with it at the end of its use. Avoid burning it or sending it to a landfill. Instead, plant it, compost it, or turn it into valuable wood chips. 

 

5. Make Sustainable DIY Holiday Crafts

If you have kids, you know that keeping them busy with toys, crafts, and activities can create a lot of plastic waste. Look for more eco-friendly ways to entertain them, like making DIY holiday crafts with responsible materials. 

 You can start with a base of palm plates, like these palm plates from Canape King. Then, get to crafting! You can teach your children to make Christmas trees, reindeer, snowmen, wreaths, and more - all from plates! Here’s a resource that includes 25 different ideas.

 

 

At the end of the day, Christmas is all about spending time with family. With a few simple swaps, you can make the holiday more eco-friendly, creating a more sustainable future for your loved ones to enjoy for many years to come. 

 Don’t forget to stock up on palm plates and sustainable alternatives for all your food needs from Canape King. Shop now.