Waste Not, Want Not This Christmas
Saturday 20 December 2008
Are you always left with a mountain of wrapping paper, packaging and cardboard on Christmas morning? Not sure what to do with the Christmas tree and all those Christmas cards in January? Here are the Consumer Council’s top tips on reducing your waste this Christmas.
Card bored - 200,000 trees[1] are pulped every year to produce our Christmas cards. If you haven’t sent yours yet, why not send free e-cards? Check out unique designs at www.foe.co.uk and www.recyclenow.com. Recycle your Christmas cards at Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer from 2nd to 31st January, 2009. All money raised goes to the Woodland Trust.
Evergreen – Check with your local Council if they have a tree recycling scheme. If you can, buy a tree with roots so that it can re-planted after Christmas.
Recharge your batteries– If you are buying presents that need batteries, buy rechargeable ones and a charger to go with the gift.
It’s electric! – When you buy new electrical goods from a store, many will take your old goods back for recycling. For more information visit:
www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/Stores_offering_take_back_scheme.2e95bbc4.6361.pdf
A bag is for life, not just for Christmas - Only one in every 200 bags is recycled[2]. Bring your own re-usable bags with you when you go shopping.
It’s a wrap –recycle or re-use wrapping paper. Use it to wrap next year’s presents, make gift tags or give it to the kids to create works of art.
Ready, Steady, Cook! –Food websites and cookbooks are full of good ideas on how to use up Christmas dinner leftovers, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure - If you get unwanted gifts or toys, why not give them to a local charity or hospital? You can also exchange them online at www.swapitshop.com
For more Christmas money savings ideas visit the Consumer Council website: www.consumercouncil.org.uk/cost-of-living-consumer-tips/christmas or call us on 028 9067 2488.
