Top Tips to Have a More Sustainable Christmas

A few things we've been trying!

Even though we’re only a couple of weeks away from the big day, it’s never too late to be thinking about what you’re doing at Christmas. Here in the QD offices, we’re really trying our best to have a more sustainable Christmas and reduce any waste. So, I’ve compiled a few of the top tips we’ve found when starting our sustainable Christmas Journey!

1. Christmas Cards

Do you still do Christmas cards? When you’re buying your cards this year, look for cards with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) mark. This mark guarantees that the paper used for the cards has been produced sustainably and ethically. 

2.Wrapping Paper

You may already know that all wrapping paper isn’t recyclable, however more often than not any kind of wrapping has to go straight into landfill. The paper only has to contain a small portion of foil or glitter and it's no longer able to be recycled.

This Christmas we’ve been looking at different options. Brown paper is a classic and I’ve been using recyclable ribbons or string to dress each item up and make it festive!

3. Trees

Did you know that some places actually let you rent out a Christmas tree? You can go and pick one out, look after it over Christmas and they pick it up in January then replant it for the next year! 

Obviously that option isn’t available to everyone, but it’s important to source locally and support the local businesses. Real trees are proven to be more sustainable even comparable to reusable ones.

4.Shop/Source Locally

Christmas is the perfect time to support small businesses and local suppliers when it comes to buying supplies. Helping out local businesses will help fuel your local economy and the money that goes into it. Plus, a lot of small businesses now make it their mission to source organic and ethically produced materials, making it a double win.

5. Gifts

Aiming to be more sustainable at Christmas doesn’t mean that you have to stop buying gifts at all. Simply taking the time to think more about what you’re getting and where you’re getting it from can make a huge difference. Shopping locally and supporting small businesses is a great win for the local economy. Similarly buying gifts with longevity in mind also helps reduce waste.

6. Switch to LED Christmas Lights

LED lights have been proven to be much more environmentally friendly as they use less up to 80% less energy. 

Solar powered lights outside being on a timer also won’t only save the environment a bit but stops any of your electricity bills going up around the festive season.

Let us know your top tips for having a more sustainable Christmas this year!