With all the festivities around Christmas time, it's easy to forget about the small things that make all the difference to the environment. The amount of plastic floating around from kids toys, the observed amount of wrapping paper used & not to mention the excessive amount of food that gets wasted. 

We've put our heads together and have come up with some tips for a more environmentally friendly Christmas without being a Scrooge.

Christmas trees
The centre of all Christmas decorations — fake or real?
If you already own an artificial tree, keep it, look after it and make it last as long as possible. When the time comes to get a replacement though, perhaps looking into a more eco-friendly option; like the modern alternative of a 'timber branch tree'. Ok, it's not quite the same as the traditional tree, but with the right touch, this could be a sophisticated addition to your home at Christmas time.

To wrap or not wrap
Wrapping paper is one of the biggest contributors of waste in Perth, with thousands of tonnes being used each year. Think about how many trees this is equivalent too.

Solution — reusable gift boxes or gift bags. If you just can't bring yourself to part with the tradition of wrapping paper, try an alternative like recycled paper.

Support Local
Buy local. Food, gifts, decorations - buy locally and support local businesses whilst at the same time helping to reduce the amount of vehicle emissions with less air and road freight required. Drop down to your local farmer's markets on the weekends, pick up some organic fruit & vegetables plus some of those beautifully handcrafted products would make brilliant gifts.

Donate don't ditch
Unwanted, unappreciated gifts, unfortunately, often just end up being thrown out or stashed in the back of your cupboard and not given a second thought. Why not donate instead. There are so many less fortunate children who would be delighted to receive a toy or jumper this Christmas. One person's trash is another's treasure, keep that in mind before ditching what you classify as unwanted.

Waste not want not
So so much food gets wasted every year where celebrations are involved. Think twice when you're doing your food shopping this year... Do you really need that extra salad? Or the extra dessert? How many times have you gone to the fridge on boxing day only to see it still full with leftovers from Christmas Day? We love a good boxing day meal with leftovers just as much as the next person, but how many of you have then thrown out so much of those leftovers a few days later. You feel guilty watching it go into the trash right!? Eliminate this by planning and considering how much food you really need. 

Switch off
Everyone loves a good Christmas light display, but man-o-man does this suck up the electricity. So, do your lights consist of LED bulbs? These use drastically less energy than regular light bulbs and won't cost you an arm and a leg to run.

Be conscious of the environment this festive season, the smallest changes can make a big difference in the long run. Try not to use your dryer, the sun is shining & the air is warm, utilise your clothesline. If you're in need of an upgrade jump on over and browse through our extensive range of Clotheslines. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!