Saving Money, and the Planet, at Christmas
Article written by: Laura Pearson
As Christmas approaches, I'm finding thoughts of sparkly lights, mulled wine and pantomime visits are beginning to fill my mind. But as much as I’m excited about the upcoming celebration, I’ve already started worrying - I’m terrible at thinking of gift ideas for people who don’t actually need anything!
I’ve been listening to The Minimalists podcasts lately and enjoying their mantra of using less stuff and considering how to reduce the clutter in our lives. This is something that also relates to reducing our impact on the planet. It has motivated me to find out what little efforts I might be able to do this festive period, and I found some ideas under these four key themes:
Reduce
Why? Food production, goods manufacturing, transportation and storage all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and costs that are passed on to us all. Making careful decisions about what we buy and trying to reduce waste can have a big impact on both the environment and our bank balance.
How can I do it? Consider whether you really need to buy as many gifts. Buy gift experiences or vouchers as gifts. Get creative making personalised gift vouchers. Try to buy items with less packaging. Gift home-made items like cookies or traybakes.
Reuse
Why? Around 80% of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from all the goods, materials and services which we produce and use. A lot of the time, we throw these away after just one use. This is especially true when it comes to our clothes.
How can I do it? Wear that Christmas jumper or dress again, and again. Use Vinted and other similar sites for finding good quality second hand clothes, toys and books.
Repair
Why? Whilst recycling is important, you can have a much bigger impact if you repair and upcycle more.
How can I do it? Reupholster your sofa or chairs instead of getting new ones. Get your phone refurbished before ordering a new one. Fix those wonky drawers rather than replacing them. Replace a broken zip on your jeans or dress instead of throwing them away. Learn to sew using online tutorials.
Recycle
Why? The more waste that can be diverted from landfill, the better. Decaying, biodegrade-able landfill waste releases greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change, by trapping more heat in our atmosphere.
How can I do it? Use the plastic and paper recycling wheelie bins. Many more items can be recycled, including glass, batteries, metal, wood, liquids, paints, chemicals, electrical goods, and textiles at your local recycling centre. (See a full list here: https://www.fife.gov.uk/facilities/recycling-centre/dalgety-bay)
Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash