Christmas is a time of year when lots of us feel the pressure to consume more – whether that’s food, goods or even energy. It’s a habit that’s as bad for the environment as it is for our wallets, so we’ve got a few ideas on how to reduce your environmental impact this festive season.
Low impact gifts
It’s lovely to be able to make your loved ones happy with thoughtful gifts, but buying brand new over-packaged items could be contributing to landfill – gift sets are often excessively packaged. For a gift that’s just as thoughtful but has a smaller carbon footprint, consider making them yourself or giving second hand gifts.
Of course, second hand gifts won’t go down well with everyone and it’s not appropriate for all gifts, but second hand books, DVDs and CDs are just as good as buying brand new – and young kids won’t notice that their new toys are pre-loved either.
Eat local
Lots of the food we eat at Christmas has a lot of air miles, so cut Mother Nature some slack and opt for food that’s been produced locally. You’ll often find locally reared meat is fresher and tastier anyway, and you get to feel good about yourself while you’re gorging on Christmas fare – what’s not to love about that?
Keep your energy bills down
Keeping your home well insulated has the handy side effect of keeping your energy bills down – always helpful at such an expensive time of year.
Consider adding loft insulation, cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation to your home to help keep heat in and reduce the need to have your heating on. If you get the ball rolling now, you could have new insulation before Christmas, keeping you cosy over the festive season and keeping your bills low and your conscience clear for the rest of the winter – and beyond.
If you think your home could benefit from some additional insulation, get in touch today to find out about the eco-friendly solutions we offer to help you have a green Christmas this year!
