Have yourself a green Christmas: Top tips for a sustainable festive season
At this time of year around 30% more waste is created. This includes 1 billion Christmas cards that are thrown away every year[1].
There are many Christmas items that can't be recycled, including:
glossy and printed wrapping paper,
glitter-covered Christmas cards,
single-use Christmas crackers.
With that in mind, we're sharing our top tips to help make this Christmas a more environmentally friendly one.
Cllr George Potter, Lead Councillor for Environment and Climate Change, said:
"Christmas is a time for celebration with friends and family. It's a time for great fun but it's also a time when we consume more and generate more waste.
"I hope residents will take on board some of these tips to enjoy a greener and more sustainable Christmas.
"It's important for all of us to be aware of the environmental impacts of the season and, where we can, incorporate those small changes that make a difference. It's vital that we all play our part in minimising the impacts of climate change so that we can create a greener Guildford for all."
The top tips for residents wanting to discover a more sustainable Christmas in 2024 are:
1. Wrapping paper and cards
Look for wrapping paper and cards that are made from recycled or FSC-approved paper. Avoid plastic bows and tape, and steer clear of foil-backed wrapping paper.
Try out tape-free methods of wrapping such as furoshiki, a traditional Japanese method of using cloth to wrap and transport gifts. It creates beautiful, unique, and reusable packaging!
2. Plan what you're going to eat
It's very easy to eat a bit too much at Christmas. It's also very easy to end up throwing away a lot of food.
Take time to write shopping lists and meal plans in advance, this will help you to eat only what you need, and prevent unwanted food from being thrown away. As well as saving on food waste, it helps to cut carbon emissions and reduce your shopping bills.
Transform leftover food into tasty meals thanks to recipes from Love Food Hate Waste.
3. Eat seasonally
Continuing the food theme, a great way to cut down on carbon emissions is to eat only those vegetables that are in season in December. This saves on the environmental cost of importing out of season food from overseas.
Luckily, most of your Christmas dinner staples (potatoes, carrots, leeks, sprouts and parsnips) are all in season throughout the winter so you can rustle up a delicious guilt-free feast.
If you have food waste that can't be eaten, such as peelings and cores, you can use our food waste recycling service that's available to Guildford residents.
4. Shop local
Every year an estimated 21 million people receive at least one unwanted gift at Christmas[2].
Some of these end up in landfill. Buy fewer, high-quality items that will last longer.
A good sustainable option is buying locally-sourced gifts. It's a great way to support local businesses and these products will have travelled fewer miles, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.
You can even get creative with presents that you make yourself, or gift an experience such as an electronic gift voucher, event ticket, a day out, or an animal sponsorship.
5. Think about your tree
If you're planning to buy a real Christmas tree this year, make sure it's FSC-certified. If it is potted, think about replanting it in your garden afterwards so that it has a second lease of life.
Be clear on how to dispose of your tree once Christmas is over. You can find out more about our Christmas tree recycling service on our website.
If buying an artificial Christmas tree, choose carefully. Make sure you buy a good quality one that can be reused for several years to enjoy the sustainable benefits over a real tree.
You can keep up to date with the changes to our waste collection service over Christmas on our website.
You can also read more about Guildford Borough Council's response to the Climate Emergency.