Category: Sustainability
5 Simple and Sustainable Ideas
As we gear up for the holiday season – decking the halls, untangling twinkly lights, and dreaming of festive feasts – let’s also take a moment to think about how we can make small changes to making this season more sustainable.
Jennifer Pollard, Sustainability Manager at Stepnell, has put together this piece with simple tips to help you enjoy a more mindful and environmentally friendly Christmas. After all, Christmas is about more than just presents; it’s a time for presence, too – presence in our community, with our families, and with our planet.
This year, let’s unwrap a few tips to keep our carbon footprint in check (while keeping the spirit bright). From rented Christmas trees to zero-waste gift-wrapping hacks, read on to help make your Christmas merry, memorable, and mindful. There’s plenty we can do to keep the season green—no Grinch needed!
Did you know that Christmas excess on average equates to 280kgCO2e per adult in the UK, that’s the equivalent of the emissions from driving 1500 miles in a medium petrol car!
1. Rent a Live Christmas Tree!
Renting a live Christmas tree is one of the most eco-friendly ways to enjoy a tree during the holiday season. Unlike cut trees, live trees continue to capture carbon through photosynthesis, reducing atmospheric CO₂ while they’re with you. After the season, they’re replanted to keep growing and absorbing carbon for years to come.
Renting also supports local biodiversity, as many tree rental companies partner with farms, allowing trees to spend most of their life outdoors, where they provide shelter for wildlife and help maintain healthy soil. This approach also eliminates waste: rental trees don’t end up in landfills or release carbon through decomposition. Instead, each tree is reused season after season.
In contrast, artificial trees require significant resources to produce and are typically made from PVC plastic, contributing to plastic waste when discarded. Even with reuse, they must be kept for at least 10-20 years to offset their environmental footprint. A live rental tree, on the other hand, is a renewable, natural option that brings the authentic scent and beauty of the holiday season into your home without lasting environmental impact.
In summary, renting a live tree combines the best of all worlds: a festive, fragrant, and environmentally friendly tree that can bring cheer to your home each year while keeping waste and environmental impact to a minimum. This way, you can enjoy a truly green Christmas season!
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2. Support local businesses!
No Amazon! Buy from local suppliers, local fairs, Etsy.
This Christmas, let’s keep it local and make a real impact with our gifts and festive feasts! Choosing local suppliers isn’t just good for the environment—it’s like giving a gift back to our community. When we shop nearby, we cut down on the long-haul shipping emissions and choose goods that are often fresher, unique, and crafted with extra care. Plus, the money we spend stays close to home, helping local businesses thrive and adding a little extra sparkle to our neighbourhood. Imagine a holiday where your gifts and food tell a story, full of local flavour and quality, while keeping sustainability at the heart of it all. Let’s make this a Christmas to remember by shopping local, celebrating local, and supporting each other.
Finding local suppliers is easier than you might think, and it can be a fun part of holiday shopping. Start by visiting nearby farmers’ markets or holiday fairs, which are full of unique local foods, handmade gifts, and seasonal specialties. Many areas also have online directories or apps that spotlight local artisans, food producers, and small businesses. Check out social media, too—many local creators and shops share their offerings and holiday specials on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget small, family-owned shops in your neighbourhood, which often feature items you won’t find anywhere else. You can also ask friends and family for their favourite local spots—sometimes the best hidden gems come from a good recommendation!
3. Zero-waste wrapping, or recyclable wrapping paper
Avoid foil and glitter-covered wrapping paper—they’re non-recyclable and not very festive for the planet. Instead, opt for kraft paper, newspaper, printed paper wrapping, or reusable fabric wraps like scarves or tea towels (a gift in themselves!). Tie it all together with twine or compostable tape and add a dash of nature with dried orange slices or sprigs of greenery. Upcycle old cards into tags, or let the kids decorate recycled paper for a personal touch. By keeping it creative and waste-free, you’ll give the planet a little gift too. Sustainable wrapping—because the earth deserves to sparkle all year round!
4. Secret Santa
This Christmas, why not swap the endless gift-giving frenzy for a family Secret Santa? It’s a triple win: more sustainable, easier on the wallet, and way more fun! Instead of everyone buying (and wrapping!) piles of presents, each person picks one thoughtful gift for someone else. Less shopping means fewer carbon-heavy deliveries and less waste—no more wrapping paper mountain! Plus, with just one gift to focus on, you can get creative and choose something truly meaningful. Add a festive twist by guessing who got who! A Secret Santa is proof that less really is more when it comes to spreading Christmas cheer sustainably.
5 – Christmas Crackers
This Christmas, it’s time to ditch those standard crackers filled with plastic “prizes” that get tossed aside faster than you can say “New Year’s resolution”. Eco-friendly crackers bring all the festive cheer – without the waste – and they come with a lot more than just a paper crown. Forget the useless plastic junk – these crackers are packed with games, challenges, and even trivia questions that’ll have everyone actually *engaged* (yes, even Aunt Susan).
Going green with your Christmas crackers doesn’t just feel good; it *is* good. You’re reducing waste, giving everyone something worth keeping, and turning holiday moments into memorable experiences. So, this year, let’s say goodbye to the mini plastic screwdriver set and hello to a Christmas table full of games, laughter, and crackers that make everyone (including the planet) a little merrier! No waste, no landfill, and no guilt.
