As Christmas approaches and we look forward to celebrating with family and friends, it’s a great time consider how we can ‘rethink waste’ to bring about the festive spirit in a way that’s kind to our environment (and often our wallet in return!).
Whether it’s the gifts we select, the decorations we put up, the wrapping paper we choose or the meals we share together, there are many ways we can consider avoiding, reducing, and reusing for a low-waste holiday season.
Keen for some inspiration? Here are 3 ways you can Rethink Waste this christmas, with a little help from our fellow sustainability friends:
1. Rethink your Menu
Who doesn’t love a plate of leftovers on Boxing Day, right? But if you’re like many Australians, you may still find yourself reaching for the bin at the end of each festive season, realising you’ve just ever so slightly (by a half leg of ham and 3 dessert dishes) over-catered. So, think about what may not have been finished up last year and how you might tweak the menu accordingly. Get creative with some new leftover dishes (check out Love Food Hate Waste’s favourite leftover recipes), or choose recipes you can feeze. Look to buy local where possible to cut down on your food miles (and support our local businesses in the process), and remember you can always top up on your favourites later if you happen to run short.
2. Rethink your gift-giving
‘Tis the season to give gifts, and the perfect time to give sustainably! There are so many ways we can keep to the spirit of giving this Christmas without adding to the rubbish pile. We love these Five Simple Sustainable Gift Ideas from Planet Ark to help you gift sustainably this Christmas.
3. Rethink the Wrap
A survey conducted in 2017 revealed that the average Aussie uses around 8 metres of Christmas wrapping each year. Collectively, that’s enough for us to wrap the world in paper 4 times over! Save a few dollars (and the planet) in wrapping paper by considering what you can reuse around the home. Think newspapers, fabric scraps, even pillow cases! Save up gift bags and ribbons you’re given throughout the year and reuse them, encouraging your recipients to do the same. Keen to bring a bit of style to your wrap? Learn the art of Furoshiki wrapping with this instructional video series from Campbelltown City Council .
Of course, there’ll still be things destined for the bin as you wrap up the festive season for another year. When it comes to choosing which bin, remember to choose green and yellow first, so your red bin won’t burst! Unsure what goes where? Download our Waste Info App for our A-Z bin guide. The app also provides you with a personalised bin collection calendar, and reminders for our extra Yellow bin collection dates, running between the 26 December 2022 through to the 6 Jan 2023. during this time, you can put out your yellow recycling week on your typical day of the week.
Thanks for joining us in our collective efforts to rethink waste. Wishing you, your family and friends a merry, safe, and low-waste Christmas!
