Cloth-wrapped gifts look lovely and the wrap can be reused, to reduce waste at Christmas. Photo: 123RF
They say it's the most wonderful time of the year. But what isn't so wonderful is the waste that can come with the festive season.
So RNZ asked the experts for their top tips for having a sustainable Christmas that was just as merry, but also jolly good for the planet.
Wrapping Paper
Somewhat Green gift store's Tracey O'Neill recommended wrapping gifts in recyclable paper or material.
You could also give gifts in a reusable gift bag - and if you're cheeky you could even ask for the bag back, she said.
Sustainable Presents
Buying gifts that will last the years, rather than gifts likely to be disposed of quickly was wise, O'Neill said. As well as considering where your gifts come from and what their carbon footprint is.
Buying local, she said, meant less mileage was involved in producing the product and you would be supporting a local business.
Caliwoods store's Shay McLean said that for a hard-to-buy-for person or someone with plenty of stuff, out of the box gifts like giving a donation on their behalf or giving the gift of your time were good options.
Christmas Crackers
Christmas cracker contents often end up in bin, McLean said.
She recommended using reusable crackers you could fill yourself. That meant you could select cracker gifts that were also more sustainable.
Lots of different types of trees can be grown in a pot and kept as a reusable Christmas tree. Check out spruce, fir, juniper, pines or cypress trees, or go non-traditional with a bay or pōhutukawa. Talk to your garden centre about conditions at the site it will grow in during the year, how long it can grow in the pot, and if it's safe around children and animals. Photo: 123RF
Christmas Trees
If you need to buy a new Christmas Tree this year McLean said there were some good alternatives to the plastic fir.
She recommended considering a living tree in a pot that could grow with you and your family each year, or an alternative material such as driftwood.
Christmas Dinner
When buying the Christmas feast, consider what it is wrapped in.
McLean recommended looking for food options with less packaging and repurposing leftover food that might otherwise be thrown out.
Post-Christmas
In the month after Christmas, Wellington City Council said they send more than 40 percent more rubbish to landfills.
"The worst offenders we receive at the tip face around Christmas include lots of wrapping paper and packaging cardboard from TVs, food bags etc, plus some old Christmas decorations and fake trees."
After Christmas, they said the Tip Shop often received an increase in barbecues, lawnmowers and outdoor furniture as people replaced the old with new.
Their advice was not to impulse buy at the Boxing Day sales. They recommend making a list of only what you need to buy and sticking to it.
