25 Simple Ways to Celebrate a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Christmas
Food
15. Plan Meals Carefully
One of the easiest ways to reduce food waste and practice a sustainable Christmas is to be smart about your holiday meals! Okay, start off by making a rough estimate of how much food you actually need, depending on the number of guests and their preferences. Avoid overbuying and meal prep first Avoid overbuying from the grocery store Line out a detailed shopping list to create (avoiding overbuying) and plan to prepare recipes that make use of the meals you already have at residence Planning ahead will minimize the chances of food being wasted and thrown away.
Plans for leftovers are another factor to keep in mind when planning meals. Select meals that can be easy to create new dishes after the party like soups, sandwiches, or casseroles the days following the celebration Roasted vegetables can go into a salad; leftover bread can be croutons, or pudding. It helps to avoid wasting money and time after the holidays as well!”
16. Go Plant-Based
Adding vegetarian or vegan options to your holiday menu is a great way to green your holiday. Plant-based meals tend to have a smaller ecological footprint, using less water and land than meat-based meals. Think hearty vegetable lasagna, nut roast, or a festive lentil stew instead.
You may not want to go full-on plant-based, but incorporating several meatless meals contributes to something greater. It could be something like roasted root vegetables, salads with seasonal ingredients, or a bright grain dish, such as quinoa with cranberries and herbs. These alternatives are not only healthier and better for the environment but will probably wow your guests with creativity and taste.
17. Buy Locally
To lower the carbon footprint of your holiday table, find food producers and farmers closer to home. The closer something is to you, the less it has to travel — and the less it will emit countable transportation emissions en route to your table, and the fresher it will be! — fruits, veggies, ingredients, etc all travel not so far when locally grown. Find seasonal ingredients that are plentiful this time of year by visiting farmers’ markets or local co-ops.
More importantly, purchasing local helps small businesses and stimulate your local economy. Seek to find local wines, cheeses, or artisanal breads that will lend a special aspect to your menu. These products taste better, show the personality of your region, and make your holiday meal more meaningful and sustainable.
18. Compost Leftovers
Even with the best holiday season planning, some food waste is unavoidable. Rather than just putting scraps and leftovers in the bin, compost them! Scraps such as vegetable peels, fruit cores and coffee grounds create nutrient-rich compost that helps your garden or local community composting programs.
The holiday season is a great time to begin if you are new to composting. Check with your municipality — many offer compost pick-up, or create a small compost bin in your backyard or kitchen. Composting diverts organic waste from landfills where it would release greenhouse methane, thus it also promotes a circular system where waste becomes a resource.
19. Use Reusable Tableware
Opt for reusable plates, cutlery, napkins, etc. instead of using disposables to make your celebrations more eco-friendly. Disposables may be a little easier but they generate a ton of waste, usually find their way to a landfill. Not to mention, serving your guests on your own plates, drinking out of your own glasses and using your own silverware not only makes for a much nicer ambiance, but also reduces your environmental impact by 90%.
For a larger party you may be short on tableware, here, again, ask friends for borrowing or rent from a party supply service. Use cloth instead of paper napkins; they can be washed and reused for years. Using reusable tableware cuts waste while also enhancing the dining experience for guests.
Parties
20. Digital Invitations
One of the simplest yet effective ways to have a more sustainable holiday party is to send digital invitations. For your invites ditch the printed paper ones and go for e-invites via email, Evite, Canva or social networking. This is one of the most eco-friendly and economical digital invitations as there is no wasting of paper, money, and effort needed to produce invitations.
Another great aspect of digital invitations is their creativity. Most provide a platform for designers to mix and match holiday designs, pictures, and greetings, giving your invites the elegance and personal touch akin to the best printed invitations. You can make it even more personal by adding links to maps, RSVPs, or even playlists to get everyone in the party mood. Going digital means tree saved, and a modern, efficient, and magic touch to your holidays.
21. Share a ride or Take public transportation
One way to lessen the impact of your holiday party on the environment is to encourage your guests to carpool or use public transportation. Guests who opt for shared rides are able to reduce carbon emissions and relieve some congestion especially during the time of year when road travel is at its peak.
If you are in an area with decent public transit options, be sure to point out stops that are within walking distance of your venue as well as routes that go to and from your venue. Or else, you might want to organise a shared shuttle service if you are hosting a huge occasion. Not to mention, these initiatives help make your party more environmentally-friendly and save your guests money on transportation while ensuring a more comfortable trip to and from the event.
22. Borrow or Rent
Make your holiday party more sustainable by borrowing or renting party supplies instead of purchasing things that you will use once and forget about. Instead of bringing numerous tableware, decorations, and even furniture to your home that you may not use again, you can rent all of these at your local rental services and do your part in reducing waste.
Additionally, rental companies frequently provide such stylish accordant high-quality options so your party can look good, but without the environmental impact of single-use buys.
If renting is out of the question, ask your friends, family if you can borrow items such as table cloths, serving dishes, or even extra chairs. Not only does this save you cash, but it also builds community because folks will rally together to ensure your celebration goes on.
Charity & Sharing
23. Donate
The holiday season is one of the best times to donate your used stuff. Donating unwanted clothes, toys and non-perishable food can help those less fortunate. Take a walk around your home and look for things in good condition but seldom used and think about donating to local charities, shelters, or food banks. Now you can make someone smile, and you can declutter your house.
And giving is a wonderful avenue to get your family involved as well. Ask the Kids; Sort Through through Toys and clothes and How Their Stuff Helps Make Someone Else’s Christmas Brighter. During the holidays, many neighborhoods host toy drives, coat drives or food distributions so it should be easy to find an opportunity to contribute. This time of year, your generosity can create ripples of kindness and gratitude.
