An eco-friendly Christmas is an idea that has been growing in popularity over the years. There are many reasons why people choose to have eco-friendly Christmas celebrations. Some people do it because they want to reduce their carbon footprint, some do it because they have environmental allergies, and some do it because they believe in the environmental protection of the planet. One fairly obvious way to cut down on waste is to look at your Christmas wrapping and packaging. Here we will take a look at the problem of wasteful wrapping at Christmas and what we can do to cut down on the problem.
In the UK alone, Brits dispose of an estimated 227,000 miles of wrapping paper every year at Christmas, according to waste management company BIFFA. That’s enough to wrap the whole Earth more than eight times and on Christmas day, we consume enough box packaging to cover Big Ben nearly 260,000 times!
However, with all our online shopping and the overwrapping on the big day – it can be hard to know what and how to recycle Christmas wrapping paper, cards and boxes. So, Beauty Daily by Clarins has put together these helpful tips on how to be more eco-friendly this festive season and beyond.
Is Christmas wrapping paper recyclable?
You might think all Christmas wrapping paper gets recycled. However, this is only sometimes the case. Even though it’s branded as ‘paper,’ Christmas wrapping papers often contain much more than simple paper.
Always check their make-up. Some are dyed, laminated, and contain non-paper additives such as gold and silver-coloured foil, glitter, plastics and more.
Unfortunately, these can’t be recycled because they’re made with microplastics and will have to go to landfill. So, try to avoid this when choosing your seasonal wrapping.
The same goes with Christmas boxes and tags; if it has shine, they can’t be recycled. So, opt for a brown paper box, tags or wrapping paper instead. It has a more rustic, natural feel and is more sustainable.
Do the Christmas wrapping paper ‘scrunch test’
An easy test to make sure your Christmas wrapping paper passes the recycling process is the ‘scrunch test.’ Simply – if it scrunches, it can be recycled.
It is also important to make sure you remove sticky tape, bows, ribbons, or Christmas stickers and labels. As if it remains attached it will be considered non-recyclable and sent to a landfill. If it does get through – then it has the capability of breaking and clogging the machines.
Are Christmas cards recyclable?
Royal Mail delivers around 150 million cards during the pre-Christmas period. It’s estimated that one billion Christmas cards end up in the bin after the holiday season.
A heartfelt Christmas card is a simple yet touching way to send love to your family and friends. But unfortunately, they can easily add to the January waste pile once the festive season ends.
The good news is that most Christmas cards are paper-based and can be recycled, along with their envelopes. Just put them in your recycling bin.
However, some effort is needed to recycle the glitzy and sparkly ones with glitter, foil, or fancy embellishments such as ribbons or gems.
Remove them first by tearing off that section. Christmas musical cards with batteries should also be removed and disposed of at battery recycling points. UK’s leading supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury, and Asda have collection bins in-store for used household batteries. These bins are often located near the checkout or exit. Or simply drop them off at one of Cancer Research UK’s stores.
You can also check your nearby recycling points here.
Sustainable Christmas Cards
Better yet, try making your cards at home or supporting local and sustainable handmade cards, and avoid buying any cards with glitter, sequins, or plastic decorations on them.
Look for the FSC logo. The FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) is a revered worldwide organisation that assures you the wood, paper and card products you buy are sustainability sourced.
Another option to investigate is plantable Christmas cards. These cards have become popular in recent years, and the cool part is each card is embedded with wildflower seeds which you can plant in your garden and help support bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
It’s also worth checking if the Christmas cards you buy are printed with vegan-friendly ink. Most store-bought cards are printed with standard inks which contain nasty chemical components such as carbon and contain micro granules of plastic. Both of which pose serious environmental issues.
Whereas vegan-friendly inks are made from plants and vegetables, the same ones that are often used in food colouring.
Christmas E-Cards
Christmas e-cards are becoming increasingly popular. Choosing Christmas e-cards rather than traditional paper cards reduces your carbon footprint and saves you time.
Most e-cards are free or cost only a fraction of paper cards. This way, you can send all Christmas love as much as you like without costing you and the planet.
Additionally, 68 million trees are cut down yearly to produce paper and paper products. What’s even more surprising? Paper production requires twice the energy used to produce a plastic bag.
Now, if you consider that the paper industry also requires 2,700 litres of water to make just one tonne of paper, you’ll quickly realise why eco-friendly Christmas cards are the new cool thing to opt for.
You can also send charity e-cards with a donation representing the cost of traditional cards. It’s easier, better for the environment and helps support your chosen charity.
By taking note of these simple tips and tricks, you will be doing your part in creating a more sustainable Christmas which in the long term benefits us all! Happy Gifting!
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