An Very Green Christmas

A Watse Online Article:

A feast of waste

* Overflowing dustbins and extra bags of rubbish are a common sight in the streets after Christmas. We all create more waste over the holiday period.

* The Royal Mail delivers around 150 million cards and packets each day during the pre-Christmas period. It is estimated that up to 1 billion Christmas cards (17 for every man, woman and child) could end up in bins across the UK.

* 7.5 million Christmas trees were bought in 2001. Some councils reported their Christmas tree recycling activities for early 2001 to EnCams. The total number of Christmas trees reported to be recycled was nearly 1.2 million.

* It is estimated that over Christmas as much as 83 square km of wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins, enough to cover an area larger than Guernsey.

* We could use an extra 750 million bottles and glass containers, and 500 million drinks cans. About 20% to 30% more glass and cans are collected each year over the Christmas period.

Why bother?

The amount of waste we produce and our main methods of disposal are currently not sustainable. The production, treatment and disposal of waste can all harm the environment. This is not just because of the problems with landfill, incineration or other disposal options - it is also because we use new resources to replace ones we have thrown out. It is estimated that for every tonne of waste produced in our homes, five tonnes has already been produced in manufacturing and 10 tonnes at the point where the raw material was extracted. About 600 million tonnes of raw resources are used in the UK per year, 570 million tonnes of which end up as waste losses through energy, water, solid wastes and other emissions.

As a result of our lifestyles, on average every household in the UK throws away 1.2 tonnes of waste every year. This amounts to a staggering 30 million tonnes in total.

In just a fortnight we each throw away from home, amongst other things, five glass bottles or jars, six cans, seven plastic bottles and three and a half kg of paper and card. A massive 60% of our household waste could be recycled or composted, but most of it is still deposited in landfill sites. Nearly 23% of domestic waste was recycled and composted in England in 2004/05. We need to find ways to not only recycle more, but also to reduce and reuse our waste. We need to focus our efforts and change our habits and what better time than during the Christmas period; a new approach for a New Year!

How's, what's and where's of recycling at Christmas

Food and drink

* When shopping, avoid goods which involve unnecessary packaging or complicated mixed material packaging which can make recycling difficult.

* Try to buy food and drink packaged in materials that can be recycled in your area, such as paper and glass.

* Order any extra milk in returnable bottles from the milkman to avoid plastic bottles or cartons from the supermarket.

* Buy drinks, like lemonade or beer, in large containers, rather than in a lot of small ones. One large bottle results in less waste than a lot of small cans and it's more economical. Alternatively, buy drinks concentrates that can be diluted.

* SNUB - Say No to Unwanted Bags! Always use a reusable shopping bag or reuse plastic bags. Don't accept bags that you don't need.

* Avoid using paper plates, cups and serviettes if you are planning a party.

Shopping for presents

* Buy gifts which are durable. Things which break easily will just end up in the bin and cannot be reused by anybody.

* Where possible avoid buying (or requesting) presents which rely on disposable parts, including batteries. Always look for alternatives, eg a coffee maker that uses a washable filter rather than throwaway paper ones, or a wind-up/solar powered radio.

* Buy Recycled! Buying products that have a recycled content is just as important as actually recycling. It is essential that markets for recycled products are developed. Look out for unusual gifts made from recycled materials, such as glass tableware, stationery or photo frames. The Recycled Products Guide is a searchable directory of products made from recycled materials and contains over 1,000 products. www.recycledproducts.org.uk
The Recyclenow website also has a directory of products made from recycled materials., www.recyclenow.com

* If you're not sure what to buy, why not give money or gift vouchers? You can buy garden centre, cinema or theatre ticket vouchers. For example, Charity Gift Tokens www.charitygifttokens.org are a not for profit organisation selling gift tokens which give the receiver the chance to support a favourite charity and avoid wasteful production of unwanted goods at the same time.You can also give vouchers for use in high street stores and book shops.

* How about buying a gift that will last for a whole year? Examples include: sponsorship of an animal, membership of an organisation or subscription to a magazine.

* Consider buying presents that are environmentally friendly or produced in a sustainable way. Support your local charity shop, buy presents from charity catalogues and look for Fair Trade alternatives.

Wrapping and decorating

* Choose decorations which can be reused, rather than flimsy ones which will be used once and thrown away. You can also have fun making decorations from scrap materials.

* Cut down on what you buy. Gift tags can be made from old greetings cards. Any kind of unusual paper can be used to wrap gifts.

* Save envelopes and reuse them with reuse labels, available from Freinds of Earth and many charity catalogues and shops.

* Buy recycled wrapping paper and use string, ribbon or wool for wrapping gifts, rather than using sticky tape. The string and paper can then be reused. The WWF has an online store that supplies recycled wrapping paper: http://shop.wwf.org.uk/store/Home.aspx .

Recycling Christmas cards and trees

* The Woodland Trust has announced that people will be able to recycle their Christmas cards at all WH Smith high street stores and all major Tesco stores across the UK, following Christmas 2005. The scheme, is being launched on the 2nd January 2006, although bins will be present throughout January. Last year's campaign ensured the recycling of 58 million Christmas cards (the equivalent 1150 tonnes!), and the Trust are aiming to beat the 60 million mark this time. For further details visit The Woodland Trust website at www.woodland-trust.org.uk/recycling.

* If you have a favourite charity, check to see if their local charity shop is collecting old Christmas cards and stamps. Stamps can also be handed in to your local Oxfam shop.

* Instead of sending a card, why not send a message or electronic Christmas card to friends and family on the internet . Alternatively, if you normally send cards to multiple recipients at the same address, such as in the workplace, why not place just one card in a communal area and pledge the money you have saved to charity?

* Buy a UK-grown real tree with roots that can be planted in your garden or kept in a pot for next year. Artificial trees are a good alternative as they can be used many times, but as they are usually made of a number of different materials, including plastics, they are difficult to recycle once they are no longer required.

* Contact your local authority to check if it has a scheme for chipping and composting trees to produce mulch/soil improver.

General

* Set yourself a challenge - how empty can you keep your bin? Think about how you can reduce the amount of waste you produce at home and at work. Try to buy long lasting items rather than disposable ones and avoid over-packaged items.

* What can you do with the waste you do create? There are now many things that can be recycled such as shoes and clothes, cardboard, cards and foil and plastic, as well as the usual bottles, cans and paper. Work out where you can store recyclables until you can take them to a recycling point.

* Find your local recycling facilities by using the "where to recycle" facility on the Recycle Now website http://www.recyclenow.com/. Alternatively you can contact your local council recycling officer for more information about facilities in your area, contact details of which can be found on the same site.

* Try to plan journeys to recycling facilities around essential trips such as shopping, this helps to minimise environmental impact and will save you time.

* Pass any unwanted presents on to your local charity shop rather than throwing them away - there is sure to be someone who will like them!

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