Climate Corner: Top tips for a low-waste Christmas

Christmas is a time when most of us overflow with good cheer – and our bins overflow with rubbish.

It’s prime time to have a think about how we celebrate and where we can find some easy wins in our war on waste.

It’s also a time that’s already filled with pressure. Luckily, some of our waste solutions can help you trim down on unnecessary stress, too.

Region Illawarra spoke to the Zero Waste team at Green Connect for their top tips on how to make our seasonal celebrations more environmentally friendly.

The team does waste audits for big business, and said a lot of the same principles can be applied in the home.

First of all, stop following trends.

Operations manager Robert Dale said if something had to be marketed to you *ahem, white Christmas trees* you probably didn’t need it.

“The amount of messaging we get about what Christmas table and decorations should look like and all the things you should have in your life, and it’s all excess,” he said.

“If we try to see through the hype consider if the product is useful? Would you buy it if you hadn’t seen an ad?”

A trend that is less green than it seems is the freshly cut Christmas tree that ends up in landfill by the new year.

A solid plastic tree that gets reused for years, or a potted live tree that gets brought inside for the silly season are both better options.

When it comes to decor, coordinator and consultant Arjun Vasukuttan suggested we look to natural materials and the opportunity to make memories.

“Any innovative and creative ideas for decorations like dried leaves, pine cones, and used foil for baubles, can look really good,” he said.

“Creating decorations gives kids a fun activity and the opportunity to be creative and come up with different ideas.”

When you’re thinking about what goes under the tree there are two key ways to improve your rubbish-to-gift ratio.

First, think about what you’re getting. Is it a good quality gift that’s going to be valued, or a cheap plastic stocking stuffer?

Could you gift an experience or something sustainable instead?

Once you’ve got your gifts sorted, coordinator and consultant Ranjith Kumar said not using wrapping paper means you can save the planet and save yourself some hassle.

“It’s not something we need, and because of its composition it goes straight to landfill,” he said.

“It looks pretty, but a scarf or cloth from the op shop works just as well and it’s reusable.”

Another common Christmas item you might think is reusable is compostable takeaway containers, plates and cutlery.

At the moment, in Australia, they’re neither compostable in the green bin nor recyclable and have to go straight to landfill.

Using your own and giving the dishwasher a workout instead will save you a few bucks.

When it comes to what goes on our plates, planning ahead can help stop a celebratory meal ending up in the bin.

“Even a 30 per cent reduction in food waste is a big win,” Ranjith said.

“Naturally you’ll want to make plenty of the best dishes if you’re hosting, but consider portion sizes to avoid leftovers ending up in the bin.

“Some food charities will take cooked food that hasn’t been touched, like Fair Food Illawarra. If you anticipate having more leftovers than you can manage it’s worth taking a look at what they can and cannot accept.”

It’s a good tip for any surplus you have once festivities are over.

Doing a run to donate excess gifts or dispose of e-waste appropriately, instead of just chucking it all in the bin, is another little way to make a big difference.

If it all feels a bit overwhelming, the Green Connect team had a simple rule of thumb to keep in mind.

Shift the focus to how Christmas feels rather than how it looks.

“You can have a pretty enough table but at the end of the day it’s about getting people together and having time to catch up,” Rob said.