Santa’s Sustainable Elf

With Christmas and the month of December come many traditions, celebrations and gatherings enjoyed by family and friends. However, during the festive season, it can be easy to get wrapped up in excess and commercialisation. Buying too much in sales, purchasing a gift for the sake of filling stockings, wrapping with non-recyclable materials and making extra food that ends up in landfill – the list goes on. The reality is approximately 50% of Christmas waste produced during this time goes into landfill, including an estimated 275,000 tonnes of wasted gifts.

So how can we all be Santa’s sustainable elf this year?

SHOPPING

Consider shopping habits:  With the festive season come big sales, impulse buying and overconsumption, which is not very financially friendly or sustainable. An estimated $11.8 billion is projected to be spent on gifts and $28 billion on food by Australians in 2024. We can identify items of need before shopping and head into sales shopping with intention, sticking to the items on the list and supporting local, sustainable businesses.

FOOD

Consider food quantity:  With approximately 90% of Australians wasting more than 25% of their food in the month of December, we can try to plan and cook for the number of anticipated guests, shop seasonal produce, store food in the fridge straight away on hot days, freeze excess, or send leftovers home with guests, to minimise food spoilage and food waste. In the case of food waste, we can dispose through the green bin or compost system.

Re-think crockery for festive events:  If we are hosting this year and find ourselves short of glasses or plates or utensils, we can ask family or friends if we are able to borrow theirs. If that is not possible, we can consider more eco-friendly options like glass (which can be washed) or paper (which can be composted) instead of plastic.

GIFTS

Re-think tangible gifts:  The approximate value of unwanted Christmas gifts in Australia in 2023 was $921 million. From family gifts to Kris Kringle or stocking fillers, we can consider non-material intentional gifts. Instead of a tangible item, we could gift a voucher, meet a financial need, or gift an experience – whether recreational or educational. If something tangible is preferable, consider a more eco-friendly option like handmaking a gift, purchasing second-hand or supporting local, sustainable businesses. Thinking about quality over quantity, let us gift intentionally this year.

Re-think plastic wrapping:  In Australia, in excess of 150,000 kilometres of wrapping paper is used during Christmas! Unfortunately, the majority of wrapping paper is a shiny paper that cannot be recycled. As a replacement, we can consider non-shiny paper that can be disposed through our kerbside recycling or green bin – making sure to take the sticky tape off. We also can wrap with fabric, reuse gift wrap or gift bags from previous years, or simply pop the items straight into a stocking. It is a good idea to hold onto gift wrap, ribbon and bags for next year rather than disposing of them straight away.

DECORATIONS

Consider decorations:  Decorations may include trinkets, garlands, baubles, advent calendars, bon-bons, lights, and of course Christmas trees. We can invest in good quality decorations that can continue to be reused for many years. We also can make our own native and natural decorations; repurpose items; buy decorations second-hand from thrift stores, reputable marketplaces or local, sustainable businesses; buy recyclable bon-bons or reuseable advent calendars; and opt for decorations that are made with materials other than plastic and without glitter. For lighting, it is best to use solar-powered lights or LED lights (which are more efficient than fluorescent light bulbs), appropriately dispose of old batteries and switch off the lights before bed. Christmas trees are a tough one – whilst a plastic tree will be reused over many years, eventually it will have to be disposed through landfill. In comparison, live trees are not native in Australia, however, can be composted or replanted if it is a potted tree with a root ball in place. If neither method is suitable, it is a good idea to call local council and ask about sustainable methods of disposal.

FASHION

Consider holiday party outfits:  Rather than buying new, we can re-wear outfits, do a clothing swap with friends or family members, rent an outfit, or buy second-hand.

It is important to recognise Christmas can be a tough time of year for some people, whether because of financial reasons, losing someone close, not having family and friends around, or another type of stressor – it is fair to say we can only do our best. Being more eco-friendly does not have to be about giving up on things that give us joy; it is about being more intentional and perhaps making a few swaps to be Santa’s sustainable elf!


By Elizabeth Taddeo