Have yourself a sustainable Christmas

Published Date
15/12/2021
News Topic
Sustainability & Environment


NOTE: This news article was accurate at the time it was posted. Visit FOGO to see the latest information.


After a long (and yet, surprisingly fast!) 2021, we hope this holiday period is a relaxing one that you’re lucky enough to spend with family and friends. The festive season is a time when we all tend to over-indulge, unplug and enjoy ourselves, but it’s also worthwhile thinking of how you can be as sustainable as possible. During the holiday period, Australians spend an extra $554 million dollars on food, a third of which goes to waste. This year, we’d like to share some tips on how to make more sustainable decisions, while still enjoying, indulging and relaxing!

1) Go homemade
Although the festive season is known for giving, spending, gifting, and receiving, we encourage you to think about more sustainable ways to show your loved ones you care. Try making small gifts rather than buying something – some home baked biscuits wrapped in brown paper or a homemade ornament for the tree is equally enjoyed as something that’s purchased, if not more so.

2) Visit op-shops
There are so many knick-knacks available at second-hand clothing stores, as well as some very cool T-shirts for those hard-to-buy-for teens. Check out the local op shops and see if you can pick up a few presents that are pre-loved before buying something new. Wrap them in newspaper with a special card that says, ‘this pre-loved garment needs a new home’.

3) Give experiences
Rather than adding to landfill by buying something the receiver may or may not want, why not give an experience for them to enjoy? A gift certificate to try stand-up-paddle boarding or a movie ticket is a great way to show you care without buying a gift that may end up stored at the back of the cupboard.

4) Reassess your food shopping list
Take the time plan your meals and really think about how you might use your leftovers. There is no point spending money on extra food if you can make more of what you’ve already bought. A Christmas ham can become a ham and cheese omelette the next day, while left over turkey can make a delicious turkey and pasta bake.

5) Fill your FOGO!
Don’t forget that FOGO is there for you! You can put a ham leg bone, seafood shells, prawn heads, steak bones and more in the FOGO bin! If you’re worried about the smell, wrap your leftovers in paper and pop them in the freezer until garbage day.

6) Skip the plastics
Try to avoid plastic this holiday season – whether that be packaging or toys. Plastic is one of our environment’s biggest pollutants, entering waterways and oceans as they are broken down into microplastics. Look for other options such as wooden toys, paper crafts, homemade playdough or a book to give. Avoiding plastics is the best way to stop them seeping into our environment.

7) Recycle what you can
If you're replacing old gadgets and gizmos with new, remember to dispose of your old things as thoughtfully as possible. Old electronics, ink cartridges, modems, electronic toys, can all be recycled at our Randwick Recycle Centre – avoid tossing them in the red bin to end up in landfill. Better yet, see if you can pass them on to someone else so they can get some use out of the item.

8) Choose LED lights
A single set of Christmas lights or fairy lights doesn’t generally consume too much electricity. For example, a set of Christmas lights with 300 bulbs may use around 6 watts. If you were to turn these on for 12 hours per day for every day in December, this would likely add less than $1 to your electricity bill. However, to reduce the energy use and environmental impact of your Christmas lights display, be sure to use timers and choose LED lights when possible. If you want to power your lights with renewable energy, you can also enquire about purchasing GreenPower from your energy provider for the most sustainable solution.

9) Oh, Christmas tree
Is using the same plastic Christmas tree every year better for the environment than purchasing a real one? This is an age old debate for anyone who wants to make a sustainable choice. Interestingly, the answer comes down to not only choosing ‘plastic or real’, but also how the tree is disposed of. According to the Carbon Trust1, “if you have an artificial tree at home you would need to re-use it for at least 10 Christmases to keep its environmental impact lower than that of a real tree”. However, this assumes that your real tree is disposed of correctly (such as by converting it into wood chips), which reduces its carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent. Fortunately, Randwick City Council will pick up your real trees for you after Christmas! Just leave them on your kerb on the first green waste collection day of 2022.

10) Get Involved!
If you're interested in sustainability and learning more about our environment, look into some of the fabulous events as part of our Marine and Coastal Discovery Program, which is held in January. Or, join our friendly PermaBees gardening group at the Randwick Sustainability Hub to learn more about gardening and permaculture. Finally, check out our range of Sustainability Rebates for solar, rainwater tanks, pool pumps and more!

1 https://www.carbontrust.com/news-and-events/news/carbon-trust-christmas-tree-disposal-advice

Last Updated: 20 June 2023
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