The amount of stuff we throw away during the festive period is not fun.
The increase in household waste at Christmas is around 30%.
How can you celebrate while not hurting the planet?
There are tips for having a more eco-friendly Christmas.
According to WRAP, not all wrapping paper will be accepted for recycling.
crumple it into a ball to see if it can be recycled It can be recycled if it stays ball shaped. It probably contains plastic and cannot be recycled. The same goes for tissue-like wrapping paper because of the short fibres.
Before putting things in the recycling bin, it's a good idea to remove ribbons, bows, batteries, sticky tape and other accessories.
The paper should be saved for next year's gifts. You're going to have to be very careful unwrapping if you follow this route. You might want to make notes so you don't give your aunt a gift of her own.
Remember to remove any tape, plastic or polystyrene inserts when using cardboard. The plastic film over the boxes makes them non-recyclABLE.
Flatten and squash boxes can be used to make more space in your recycle bin.
It's a good idea to empty and wash bottles. If bottles contain liquid they may not be recycled because the automated sorting process deems them too heavy to recycle. The machinery can be damaged by liquid. In order to save space, leave on labels and squash down bottles. Attach the lid to the bottle to make sure it's recycled.
You can use the Recycling Locator to find out what can and cannot be recycled in your area.
The average family in the UK will spend around £730 a year on food that goes to waste.
The amount of poultry thrown away can make 800 million curries. The amount of carrots thrown away in the UK every year could feed Santa's reindeer for half a million years.
Put turkey in the fridge as soon as possible. Most recommendations say it can be kept for up to two days. If you feel like you need a turkey break, a large bird can take longer than that. If you want to thaw what's left over, you can either freeze it or use the microwave to thaw it. Turkey food safety tips can be found on the UK Food Standards website.
According to US nutrition website Eat Right, you can keep stuffing in the fridge for up to three or four days if you keep it in the freezer. The US government recommends chilling sausages and bacon for a week.
Simply buying and cooking less of it is the way to waste less food. According to a survey by Which?, cheese, biscuits, chocolate, alcohol and vegetables are the most popular Christmas foods.
Love Food Hate Waste has an annual guide to christmas food planning.
If you purchase a tree that still has its roots attached, you can plant it in your garden or bring it back in next year. If you want to keep a potted tree indoors longer than 12 days, the RHS has some great tips.
If you've bought a cut tree that doesn't have its roots anymore, your local council may be able to collect it from your home in the new year. You can check your council website. There are ways to recycle trees into wood chips or compost. Tin tinsel and baubles are not usually recycled.
If you don't want to keep it for next year or don't have room for it, charities and care homes can take it if it's in good shape.
The first Christmas cracker was patented by Tom Smith in 1847. More than 150 million dinner tables were sold in the US last year.
Each set has its own packaging. Many contain hard-to-recycle materials such as glitter, as well as small plastic knick-knack surprises. Think about what's inside when choosing your Christmas crackers.
According to Zero Waste Scotland, party hats are not suitable for recycling due to the fact that they are not recyclable.
The paper strips that go bang when you pull them across a table are coated with gunpowder and should be cut off. The Open University can help you understand the science behind crackers.
Try to buy Christmas crackers with paper hats and gifts that will last - there are many on the market - or even better buy make- your-own crackers kits or even get creative with loo rolls.
The Dad jokes on little slips of paper are likely to be recycled so at least you can bin them.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
