Christmas is a time of waste, but there are ways to enjoy the festive season without damaging the environment, writes Sylvia Thompson
Reducing your ecological footprint on the earth is now a recognised term to express how one can embrace environmental principles in a holistic way. Many people have already become expert recyclers of much of the extra waste generated by the festive splurge. However, there are lots of other things we can do to reduce, reuse and recycle which may even encourage others to do likewise. Here are some ideas on how to keep an active awareness of and appreciation for our natural, built and cultural environment this Christmas.
Shopping The environmental first principle has got to be "shop local". With shopping centres in virtually all major towns now, you've got to ask yourself if you really need that shopping trip to the city. Christmas shopping requires good planning and one thing to remember before you set off is to get a strong cloth bag or backpack to carry as many small items as possible in. Once in the shops, try to avoid products that are dangerous to the environment. This can be difficult but, generally speaking, choosing wooden toys (preferably made from trees grown in sustainable forests) over plastic toys, cosmetics and toiletries which use natural materials and cards, stationary and other paper products made from recycled paper. Batteries are hazardous waste so choosing toys which can be used on the mains or at least run with rechargeable batteries is preferable.
Getting around As towns and cities throughout Ireland become jammed with cars in the weeks before Christmas, the most obvious way of reducing our dependency on the depleting stocks of oil is to use public transport where possible. On shorter journeys, walk or cycle to your destination. Those living in rural or outer suburban areas could also consider car pooling or car sharing for once-off trips to Christmas shows, parties or other events.
Presents Choosing the right present for the right person is a fine art in itself. Adding an environmental clause into the purchase may sound limiting but, in fact, it can be enlightening. So, for instance, concert tickets, book tokens, store vouchers, fully paid-for complementary health treatments or organic gardening courses are all "waste-free" presents. Buying Fairtrade products is also supporting sustainable farming practices around the world.
Christmas decorations Let's face it, few people like home-made Christmas decorations unless they are made by the children in the household. So, when it comes to choosing Christmas decorations, the most environmentally friendly thing to do is to buy durable decorations that you can use and pack away to reuse again next Christmas. Choosing a real Christmas tree over an artificial one is not only upholding the tradition but also means at the end of the festive period it can be recycled. The relatively new practice in Ireland of covering the exterior of houses with lights throughout the Christmas period is anti-environmental because it uses vast amounts of energy and increases the levels of light pollution.
Festive food The biggest mistake most people make over Christmas in relation to food is that they buy too much and therefore end up being wasteful. Remember, many food shops are only closed on Christmas Day so there are usually ample opportunities to re-stock.
Shopping at food markets selling organic fare and Christmas specialities is one way of supporting local food producers. For instance, the Christmas Food market at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park runs from 10am-4.30pm every Saturday and Sunday until December 18th.
When the party's over Set up a mini-recycling depot in your home or in the garden shed so that glass bottles, wrapping paper and cardboard, all recyclable plastics (look for the arrow in the circle logo) can be segregated immediately after use. If you have a compost bin, use it for all organic waste. Bring the Christmas tree to your nearest Christmas tree drop-off point and put all Christmas tree decorations away in a secure box for next year.
Websites of Value
www.enfo.ie: The website of the environmental information service.
www.10steps.ie: A site run by the environmental information service promoting 10 steps to a better environment. The festive 10 steps guide is also available from the environmental information service's office at 17 Andrew Street, Dublin, along with its Christmas and the Environment leaflet.
www.repak.ie: Approximately 80,000 tonnes of waste packaging is produced over Christmas. Find out about special Green Christmas recycling centres set up by Repak and local authorities on this site.
www.raceagainstwaste.ie: The Department of Environment website offers lots of tips on energy efficiency in the home and how best to prepare various materials for recycling. It also includes links to local authority recycling centres.
www.coillte.ie: All you need to know about Christmas trees: the forest parks where they can be bought, suggestions on decorating them and links to local authority Christmas Tree drop-off points.
www.foe.org.uk: This UK site from Friends of the Earth has a large range of natural products for sale and top tips for a greener Christmas.