The Nice and Serious Top 5 Tips for a Green Christmas

With Santa about to load his environmentally-friendly slay (flying reindeer...can’t really beat that for global green transport!!) and set off around the globe delivering good will to all, I thought we should share with everyone our top 5 tips for a greener Christmas...

1. The Decorations

We recognise at Nice and Serious, that there’s nothing more festive at Christmas than a massive Christmas tree covered in twinkling fairy lights. But with a little bit of thought and preparation, this can all be achieved without a massive energy bill and huge carbon footprint. Try to buy an organic natural tree, ideally with roots so you can plant and reuse it after Christmas. Artificial trees carry a much higher carbon footprint and are made from toxic materials in the plastic. Opt for LED fairy lights, since they have much lower energy demands, and make sure all lights are switched off when you leave the house or go to bed. Also try using traditional, natural decorations around the home, such as Holly, Ivy, Pine cones and Fir twigs, instead of plastic decorations. Otherwise, recycled or vintage decorations are the way to go.

2. Gifts and Cards

Everyone likes to give (and receive!) presents at Christmas but in the stresses of Christmas shopping, understandably thinking green often takes a back seat. Nevertheless, great resources like Nigel’s Eco-Store offer green gifts for all the family. Failing that, try to buy gifts that have less packaging. When buying cards and wrapping paper, always buy recycled alternatives (no excuses here) and if you’re feeling especially ethical, buy a charity gift to help those in need. There some great options here at PresentAid.

3. Food

Now probably my favorite thing at Christmas, apart from Only Fools and Horses, is the food! Not only does Christmas bring a whole selection of culinary treats, it’s the one time of year you can eat whatever you want and not feel too guilty. However, as with anytime of the year, to minimise your food footprint, try to buy organic, local and seasonal where-ever possible. Christmas is a time of year when English produce can really excel, and while it can sometimes be a tad more expensive, it’s really worth the extra pennies! And for those looking for something extra special, try Nyetimber Award-winning English Sparkling Wine...it’s a Nice and Serious favourite!

4. Unwanted Gifts

Now despite best people’s intentions, sometimes we all get gifts that aren’t quite...well...great. Often such gifts end up at the back of a cupboard, lying unused, often be joined annually by other redundant presents. However, there is a greener, more ethical solution...give it to someone else. Either donate it to charity shop or Freecycle it and rest easy in the knowledge that someone else is enjoying it...perhaps just don’t tell the person who gave it to you though...

5. The Aftermath

So once it’s all over and we’re all a stone heavier from too much organic turkey and Christmas pudding, it’s perhaps the most important time to think green. Always remember the three R’s of sustainable living; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Reduce your waste where-ever possible and compost as much of your food waste as you can. Reuse wrapping paper, boxes, decorations and, if your tree has roots, plant it in the garden to use the following year. Finally, recycle anything that’s left, like packaging, bottles, cans and Christmas cards. Christmas can be one of our most wasteful times of year but with a little thought we can really reduce what goes into landfill and by reusing as much as possible we can even get a head start on the next year!

Hopefully everyone can at least incorporate a few of these tips into their Christmas this year and not only save yourself some money but also have a slightly clearer, greener conscience. And finally, for those of you looking for an eco-movie to watch with the family this Christmas, make sure you check out James Cameron’s Avatar. Premiering on Sky Movies on Christmas eve, but also available on DVD and Blueray, this special effects spectacular features the downfall of an evil money-grabbing corporation openly destroying a planet, regardless of the consequences....I don’t think environmental messages come any clearer!

Merry Christmas from all those at Nice and Serious and here’s to a more sustainable, lower-carbon, fantastically green 2011!!!