Did you know…?
- Irish consumers spend about €5 billion at Christmas time on extra packaging such as gift wrapping paper
- A Repak study from 2022 shows that 72% of people would like to be more conscious of how much extra waste they generate around Christmas time.
- 46% of people also said they don’t intend to reuse packaging or use leftover packaging for gifts.
- On average, a 6.5 ft Christmas tree made out of plastic generates 40 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
Why is having a sustainable Christmas so important?
- Trees that are FSE certified consume more Co2 in the home, which leads to clearer air in the house at Christmas time.
- Supporting local businesses, especially those that produce organic foods.
- It reduces food waste, our carbon footprint, and landfill output.
- It encourages more thoughtful gift gifting in trying to gift long lasting sustainable gifts e.g gifting wooden toys to kids instead of plastic ones.
What can I do to have a sustainable Christmas?
- Use gift bags for gifts instead of using wrapping paper for presents
- Buy a real Christmas tree instead of one made from plastic, one with a FSE certification.
- Shop locally for your Christmas foods, such as farmers markets, or fruit and veg stalls and stick tightly to your shopping list.
- Use the same decorations every year and go for long lasting decorations made out of wood or glass instead of plastic or tinsel, or DIY your decorations.
- Consider digital gifts or a charity donation instead of material gifts.
Here’s a few websites if you want to know more!
