1.
Did you know? British people throw away enough wrapping paper at Christmas to go around the world 8 times!
Top tips:
· Avoid papers made from foil or that have glitter on them – these can’t be recycled
· Only use FSC accredited paper, cards and crackers.
· Alternatively, make your own wrapping paper from brown parcel paper. You could decorate it yourself with a reusable ribbon or perhaps a sprig of holly from the garden.
· Better still wrap your gifts in material that can be used over and over again or perhaps pop a present inside some socks and tie a bow around the top!
2.
Did you know? In the UK we waste more than 5 million Christmas puddings, 2 million turkeys and 74 million mince pies every year.
Top tips:
· Freeze leftovers soon after they have been cooked so you can tuck into them at a later date.
· Turn your leftovers into a new tasty meal, Google for some inspiration:
· Compost your peelings and leftover raw fruit and vegetables – a Christmas treat for the worms!
3.
Did you know? Santa’s reindeer don’t really like eating glitter, it makes their tummies a bit sore. Try this healthy reindeer food recipe, it’s packed full of energy and will help the reindeer fly. What’s even better is that what the reindeer don’t eat, our native birds will:
· A handful of wild bird seeds
· A few rolled oats
· Some dried fruit (if you have a dog, please don't use grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants, as these can be poisonous for them)
· Some dried insects - Rudolph and his bird friends love mealworms and waxworms
· A hint of chilli powder helps keep Rudolph's nose glowing red and will stop squirrels and rodents from stealing the food before Rudolph arrives!
4.
Did you know? Every year about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations.
Top tips:
· Why not cut down on the amount of ‘things’ you buy this year and instead buy someone an experience? Research done in 2019 showed that
‘Happiness was higher for participants who consumed experiential purchases versus material ones in every category, regardless of the cost of the item’ Science Daily
· How about a cinema voucher, theatre trip or a family day out?
5.
Did you know? 1.5 billion Christmas cards are thrown away by UK households every year?
Top tips:
· Why not make your own Christmas gift tags from last year’s Christmas cards? A great activity for children to practice their cutting skills.
· Perhaps send e-cards instead, you could even donate the postage you save to your favourite charity.
6.
Did you know? Every year 40 million Christmas crackers are thrown away, that’s 1,220 Mount Everests stacked on top of each other and 99% of the toys inside end up in landfill.
Top tips:
· Use refillable Christmas crackers – they’re a bit more expensive to buy but you can use them year on year and fill them with gifts people actually want e.g. packets of seeds or chocolates.
· Buy environmentally friendly crackers such as those sold by the RSPB, made only from paper and card, the gifts inside are recyclable and they are shipped to the UK reducing their carbon footprint.
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