A zero-waste Christmas…. Is that even possible? I mean, when we think about it Christmas is ALL about the excess isn’t it? Huge piles of gifts for your loved ones, covered in glittering Christmas wrapping that is just waiting to be torn to shreds. Bulging Christmas stockings, meters of sparkly tinsel, and a gorgeous Christmas table filled with gorgeous food that you spent many hours cooking.
So, how on earth do we reduce waste at Christmas without being stingy and losing the spirit of the season? We make it eco-friendly. Don’t know where to start? Well- here are 5 simple tips from Resparkle that you can make to reduce your waste this Holiday Season:
1. Ditch the clutter, Give Experiences
Much like our beautiful products, glass containers are the way to go. Say goodbye to useless clutter that really serves no other purpose than to be used once and disposed of. Experiences provide a clean, eco-friendly alternative that plastic simply cannot do, and be honest who wouldn’t want to experience something amazing! Tickets to the travel vouchers, restaurant vouchers, fun-park days, ZIP-LINING! We’re personally in love with Wander that promises transformational travel with luxury eco-aware accommodation in Australia’s most spectacular regions. The list is completely endless and completely zero waste.
2. Start a Leftovers plan!
This may not be something you have even considered, but food waste is a thing! We often buy more than we need as consumers, a quick stop in at the supermarket can change a shopping list from 3 things to 25 things; especially at Christmas time! And look, we can’t blame you; things are made to be eye-catching and appealing. So, next time you are at the supermarket use this leftover meal plan to help you out!
By only buying food that we know we are going to eat, we drastically reduce the wastage we produce in the kitchen.
When conducting your Christmas shopping list, write down exactly how you will deal with all your leftovers, e.g.;
- Freeze– make sure you suss your freezer space. Leave room for the items you have labeled in this category.
- Rehash – these things go straight into another recipe
- Donate – no one should be left out at Christmas time, donate these items to your local food bank and make someone’s day
Be really specific about how to deal with each item and stick to your plan! Plus- a little Resparkle tip, make it a family affair and assign everyone jobs on it! So much fun and rewarding for the whole family.
3. Get creative with upcycling Christmas decor ideas
Walk into any David Jones now, it can be difficult to resist the temptation of buying all the new “trending” Christmas ornaments and decorations. But to help the environment and to help stop wastage, it might be better to upgrade the mentality rather than the item! We know it’s difficult, there will always be something new to buy, but there are so many crafty ways to upcycle what you already have. We’re completely in love with these 5 upcycling projects by Geneva Vanderzeil. Head to Bunnings, grab some paint, and have fun creating unique festive decor.
4. Recycled Wrapping Paper
Always opt for Eco-friendly reusable gift wrap over single-use. Despite there being many more options for recycled and glitter-free Christmas wrap, it is still very much a ‘cut and use once’ item. Wasting energy and causing pollution every time we recycle it.
So it’s even better to reuse zero waste wrapping over and over again.
Make your own gift bags with fabric ends
Head to spotlight, grab some material and gorgeous ribbon- get wrapping!
Head to the lovely, Woodies Wrap to suss their gorgeous recycled gift wraps that are Australian-made!
5. The Cleanup
These steps are definitely heading in the right direction, however, it’s important to note that whilst ‘zero waste’ is the ultimate ambition, you are unlikely to get there completely (none of us are), and there is nothing wrong with that!
Do what you can and as they say, don’t let perfect get in the way of better!
We hope you and your family have a wonderful Holiday Season.