45 tips to action at home throughout the year
Season-by-season guide to sustainability
Many of us are looking for ways to incorporate lower-impact practices into daily life, all year round. So instead of another list of abstract environmental insights, we’ve put together 45 practical tips and strategies tailored to each season, and designed to help you reduce the environmental footprint of your home. Whether it's saving energy in the winter, conserving water in the summer, or making the most of crafts during holidays like Easter or Christmas, this guide empowers you to live more sustainably, one season at a time.
Why is sustainability at home important?
It might feel like making small changes at home has no impact on a large-scale problem like climate change. But the opposite is true – we can all play our part, and collectively, those changes add up.
For families, making these conscious changes at home has the added benefit of teaching little ones to live in harmony with the planet as they grow, which in turn may make them more responsible adults. In fact, this isn’t limited by age: showcasing these changes at home may inspire your friends, or at least get them thinking about the topic.
It can feel hard to make lower-impact choices when there are a lot of convenient, non-sustainable options out there. However, with some thought and effort, you can easily make switches that will quickly blend into your routine. Let’s take a look at what you can do, season-by-season.
Spring sustainability tips
1. Start to grow your own
Spring is the perfect time to start off seeds and young plants, ready for them to bloom and blossom in the summer. As well as choosing annuals and perennials that will brighten up your outdoor space, why not start to grow your own fruit and vegetables? This can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and will mean that you’re not buying out-of-season produce that’s grown in another country, reducing your carbon footprint. Plus, these plants will have a positive impact in feeding and supporting bees and other insects.
If you’ve got children, this is also a great chance to get them involved and teach them about our planet. You could give them their own little area of the vegetable patch, or even just a container to try growing something they’re interested in. Instilling a love for the outdoors and respect for nature while they’re young may help them live in harmony with the environment as they grow.
Easy favourites to start with include:
Potatoes
Courgettes
Beans
Tomatoes
Salad leaves
Strawberries
If you haven’t got the space to raise these from seed, or don’t want to, then it’s easy to get small starter plants from your local plant nursery, which can go straight into the ground or a pot. These will also be more resistant to weather changes and pests.
2. Choose the right grass
Many of us with gardens have at least a small area of lawn – they’re lower maintenance than flower beds, and can provide a place for relaxation and play. But research by Aviva shows that one in nine UK homeowners have replaced turf with a fake alternative, with a further 10% planning to do so.
While artificial turf needs little-to-no maintenance and doesn’t end up with unsightly gaps from the dog or a game of football, it’s not good for the environment. It doesn’t provide food or a habitat for garden creatures, and it doesn’t absorb carbon dioxide in the same way that living grass does. It’s also often made of plastic, creating a barrier over the soil, restricting airflow and increasing the risk of flooding.
If you don’t want the maintenance of mowing a large area of lawn, or want an option that’s even more sustainable, then you could look at planting wildflower turf. Spring is the best time to plant this pretty lawn alternative, so that it has time to establish before the heat of the summer. Wildflowers provide habitats for bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and they’re native flowers, so have adapted to your local weather conditions.
3. Embrace No Mow May
No Mow May is a UK campaign that encourages people to leave their grass to grow long, in the month when it’s traditionally trimmed for summer. This allows bees and butterflies to feed on the plants that grow in your lawn, as well as increasing the amount of carbon stored in the soil. With 97% of wildflower meadows eliminated since the 1930s, spring is a chance to take a more casual approach to lawn mowing and let nature thrive. Plus, it saves on the electricity or petrol needed to fuel your mower.
4. Make your own cleaning products
Buying cleaning solutions can be handy when you’re short on time, but have you ever considered making your own when tackling the spring deep clean? Mixing up a few simple household ingredients, scenting them with essential oils and decanting the liquid into glass spray bottles is a great way to avoid buying excess amounts of plastic. Natural cleaners are also gentler on your skin, and avoid harsh chemicals that then end up in the waterways via our sinks and washing machines.
Why not try simple recipes such as combining white vinegar, water, lemon rind and rosemary to make an all-purpose cleaner?
There’s plenty of inspiration available online, and you can choose the scents to suit you. Combine with microfibre cloths or scrubbers to get the best results.
5. Set up waterbutts in your garden
If you’ve got the space, then spring is a fantastic time to start harvesting the rainwater in your garden. There’s even slimline waterbutts available if you’ve just got a small amount of space. Attach a waterbutt to the drainpipes on the outside of your house so that excess water runs right into your storage, ready for you to use on drier days.
Not only will this reduce your water bills, but you’re saving that water from going to waste and potentially causing flooding issues elsewhere. It’s also beneficial to your plants, as rainwater hasn’t been filtered and treated in the same way as tap water, and it’s at a better temperature for them, helping your garden to thrive.
6. Spring clean your wardrobe, sustainably
As the sun starts to emerge, many of us feel inspired to shed the winter jumpers and start to clear out our wardrobes in preparation for the summer months. But what do you do with the garments you no longer need? With 10,000 items of clothing being sent to landfill every five minutes, it’s important to dispose of them correctly.
Firstly, sort your clothes into three piles: yes, not now, and no. The ‘yes’ clothes can be neatly stored back in your wardrobe, using storage solutions to help you see everything clearly, ensuring you wear it. The ‘not now’ clothes (seasonal items) can be stored in under-bed boxes, or in vacuum bags. Finally, the ‘no’ pile needs to be sorted into clothes that can be reworn by others and those that are no longer suitable for wearing.
The former can be sold online, donated to charity shops, or recycled at your local Dunelm. The latter should be taken to a fabric recycling deposit (often at a household waste site or in the carpark of your local supermarket) rather than thrown in the bin.
7. Start to make the most of the sun to dry your clothes
It’s possible to dry your clothes outside all year-round, but most of us don’t like to shake snow off our laundry. The warmer spring months bring the opportunity to get your laundry out on the line or on an airer, reducing your energy consumption as you avoid using the tumble dryer. Additionally, the sun’s rays can help disinfect your clothes and evaporate moisture, helping you avoid a musty smell without the need for added scented dryer sheets.
8. Get walking
Most of us tend to favour driving when the winter weather is at its peak – it’s not much fun commuting or running errands in the cold and the rain. However, as the weather improves, take the chance to increase your step count and walk where you can. Short car journeys don’t give your car a chance to warm up and so it runs inefficiently, burning more fuel in the process.
Research by Sustrans suggests that:
49% of car journeys cover less than three miles, and walking or cycling could replace 41% of short car trips.
While there are plenty of reasons you might need to drive, including carrying shopping, time or long distances, cutting down your car usage where possible soon adds up. Bundling errands into one trip, for example, can save you driving back and forth multiple times.
9. Set up a compost heap
Did you know that home composting saves the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as using your kettle for a year? Throwing your kitchen scraps into the bin might not seem like a big deal, but the UN estimates that food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so this is an area where we can all do more to help.
Some councils now offer composting services, but if you’ve got outdoor space, you can do it yourself and reap the benefits of the compost that’s produced. You’ll want to add a mix of kitchen scraps, green waste and brown waste like leaves, cardboard and shredded wood. Nine-to-twelve months later, you’ll have rich compost that’s ready to use in your garden to grow more plants – the perfect full circle.
10. Maintain your car
Making sure your car is running smoothly can help improve its efficiency, and avoid it using excess fuel. In particular, make sure your tyres are inflated to the recommended levels (which can be found in your vehicle handbook), as research shows that just a 0.5 bar drop in pressure can increase your car fuel consumption up to 5%.
Tips for Easter
11. Source your chocolate locally or free from palm oil
Traditionally, Easter is a chance to enjoy some tasty chocolate eggs, but have you considered what they’re made from? Many cheaper supermarket eggs contain non-sustainable palm oil, although there have been efforts to reduce this in recent years. This is problematic because palm oil is a huge driver of deforestation, removing habitats for endangered creatures such as orangutans.
It’s important to note that not all palm oil is bad – there are products with a RSPO certification, which indicates that the palm oil was sourced sustainably. By taking care to choose Easter eggs that are either certified or palm-oil-free, you can have a more conscious celebration.
Additionally, choosing eggs made locally or by small suppliers can reduce the carbon footprint generated in production and delivery.
12. Make or buy decorations you can use again
Easter is a great chance to decorate your home for the season with flowers, wreaths, rabbit and chick ornaments, or just decor in bright pastel colours. These are cheery to look at and brighten your home when you’re entertaining, providing a lovely backdrop for your celebrations.
Instead of just buying the cheapest plastic decorations, opt for a smaller number of quality, long-lasting items that can be used and enjoyed year-after-year. Ceramic candle holders, felt flowers and seasonal tablecloths are all great options. Buying in this way reduces the amount of plastic you have in your home, and means you won’t have to throw away your decorations at the end of the season.
Alternatively, why not make your own? Easter crafts offer fun for all the family. You could make marbled decorative eggs, do some screen printing with potatoes, or make hanging decorations from salt dough – there’s plenty of options for adults and kids alike.
13. Opt for reusable containers for your egg hunt
Instead of buying plastic baskets or bags for your Easter egg hunt, why not buy or make your own personalised wooden ones? Of course, any reusable container is better than single-use plastic, but there’s something charming about a little wooden basket for children – buy a plain one and encourage them to add their own decorations, or opt for a personalised basket with their name that they can keep and enjoy year-after-year. Using items that you may already have around the house, like paints or ribbons, only increases the sustainability points for this fun Easter activity.
14. Buy your roast dinner locally
Lamb is often the centrepiece of an Easter feast – but it’s not always the lowest-impact option. Buying lamb (or any other meat) from your local butcher or farm shop means you’re avoiding produce that is mass-reared, as well as cutting down on the miles that it’s travelled to get to your plate. You’ll also know that the animal has been cared for by a smaller producer, making your meal more ethical, as well as putting money back into the local economy.
Summer sustainability tips
15. Pack a lighter bag for your holiday
Planning on a summer getaway? Make sure you’re being considerate about how much your bag weighs, whether you’re travelling by plane or car. The heavier the bag, the more fuel your transport needs to keep moving – increasing the overall carbon footprint.
Try to plan your wardrobe ahead of time, and opt for pieces that you can wear more than once, just in a different way. If your accommodation has laundry facilities, you could significantly reduce the amount you pack and just include some washing tablets in your bag. It might not seem fun to do laundry on holiday, but think about it as saving the planet as well as saving you from a huge pile of washing when you get home.
16. Resist the lure of brand-new clothes
Excited to buy new clothes for the summer months? Have you thought about buying second-hand or renting instead?
The fashion industry can be a significant issue for sustainability, with fast fashion (cheaply produced, low quality clothes) accounting for 10% of global carbon emissions, as well as being the second-biggest consumer of water. Unfortunately, they’re often the most affordable items on the shelves.
To tackle this sustainability issue whilst also keeping costs down, why not check out second-hand sites such as Vinted or Ebay instead?
This extends the life of garments that have already been produced – and in some cases, you can buy items with the tags still on, or worn once, so there’s no compromise to your summer look.
Renting is also another option, allowing you to wear a series of new looks from brands that you might otherwise not be able to afford. You can get a whole new wardrobe for your holiday or social event, all while keeping your carbon footprint down in comparison to buying new clothes.
17. Reduce plastic in your bathroom
Have you ever considered how much plastic is in your bathroom?
Common items include:
Shampoo and conditioner bottles
Shower gel bottles
Toothpaste tubes
Plastic wrapped toilet rolls
Skincare products
Toothbrushes
Razor blades
Nappies
Sanitary products
Most of us have the majority of these items at home –
In fact, bathroom plastics make up 63.7% of household annual plastic waste, more than any other area.
More sustainable options include solid skincare, haircare and soap bars, or buying refills so that you don’t gain a new bottle every time. You could also buy more sustainable toilet paper, sanitary products and nappies that are made from bamboo rather than plastic. Overall, just being aware of what you’re buying and trying to find lower-impact alternatives with minimal plastic will make a big difference.
18. Ditch the disposables
Planning a picnic or day out this summer? Then make sure that you’ve got your reusable lunchbox, bottle, straw and cutlery packed. Disposable items might be convenient when you’re out for the day and don’t want to carry extra weight, but they’re one of the worst sustainability offenders.
The world produces around 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, with 98% of single use plastics made from fossil fuels.
This is one area where you can easily make a difference. By taking your own picnicware with you and bringing it home again, you’re stopping plastic filtering into our oceans, or littering up the countryside.
19. Keep a jug of cold water in your fridge
There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day, but running the tap to get the water cold sends unnecessary liquid down the drain. Experts suggest that this habit wastes around 4 litres of water for a single glass, which quickly adds up.
Instead, keep a jug of water in the fridge so that you’ve always got access to a cold beverage – a quick swap that makes a big difference.
20. Use washable cloths
Sticky ice cream marks, spilled drinks, burger sauce on the side, suncream on surfaces – the busy nature of summer means there’s often a lot to clear up. Kitchen roll contributes to 254 million tons of waste per year and often we use more than necessary in our haste to mop up the mess.
As a lower-waste alternative, keep a box of washable cloths on hand. Depending on the severity of the mess, you can simply rinse them out and use them again, or pop them straight in the washing basket. You can even cut up old towels to use as rags outside, or for cleaning kids’ hands when they come in from playing.
21. Choose reef-safe suncream
Suncream is a summer essential. However, sometimes it contains ingredients that can harm the sea life in our oceans, particularly coral reefs, where it can cause coral bleaching. This is problematic when you consider that we wash it off at the end of the day, or jump directly into the sea at the beach.
To avoid this, look out for brands that are labelled as “reef safe”, or formulas that don’t contain the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. You can also be careful when applying suncream at the beach, particularly with spray or aerosol formulations; make sure that it’s only going where it’s supposed to, and not on the surrounding landscape.
22. Use the shade to keep your home cool
When the sun is shining, it’s natural to throw back the curtains and crack open the windows. While this can be pleasant, in extreme heat, you should actually close your blinds or curtains and aim to keep your rooms in shade. Keeping your windows closed will also help the hot air from entering and circulating around your home.
t might feel counterintuitive to do this, but by keeping your home at a cooler temperature to start with, you avoid having to use excess energy for air conditioning units or fans to rapidly cool the space later in the day.
23. Fix leaky taps
A tap that drips just once per second wastes a total of five litres per day, costing you money but also increasing the need for local water supplies unnecessarily. Any water that leaves your home is also treated, regardless of whether it’s clean or not, so waste water increases the amount of energy used and therefore your carbon footprint.
Take advantage of the warmer weather to resolve any dripping taps before the temperature drops – it’s a task you can undertake yourself if you’re happy doing DIY. It can also be easier to spot dripping taps outside in the warmer weather, when the ground surrounding the leak is dry.
Autumn sustainability tips
24. Clear out your inbox
Our digital carbon footprint is something that most of us have probably never thought about. Yet the energy to power our devices has to come from somewhere, and, with the majority of us now using a smartphone for multiple hours a day, that’s a lot of energy, both for our devices and to power the multitude of apps we’re using on them.
As the nights start to draw in, it’s the ideal opportunity to reduce your digital footprint. According to research:
If we all deleted just 10 emails, that would save 1,725,000 gigabytes of storage per year, as well as 55.2 million kilowatts of power (the equivalent of electricity for 2.4 million homes).
This can be a dull task to spend hours on, so break it down in chunks – a few emails while you wait for the kettle to boil, for example. While you’re clearing your inbox, take the chance to unsubscribe to any newsletters or marketing you don’t need as well – this will stop your inbox clogging up again.
25. Make DIY bird feeders
As the summer plants fade away, food begins to get scarce for birds and other wildlife. You can do your bit to support the local creatures to survive the colder months by making some DIY bird feeders, as well as putting out seeds and nuts.
Why not try making a bird cake out of seeds, fruit, cheese, rice and lard?
Or repurpose a juice carton to make a hanging feeder that you can fill with seeds? This can be a fun half-term activity to do with kids, and will give you all something to look at outside whilst you cosy up in the warm.
26. Preserve any produce that’s left in the garden
If you’ve been growing your own fruit and veg in the garden, then autumn is where things start to turn, and most plants stop producing. However, hopefully, you’ll still have quite a bounty picked, hanging on your trees or in the ground. To avoid this going to waste, you can preserve suitable produce so that you have stores all through the winter:
Root vegetables and fruit such as apples and pears can be stored in a cool, well-ventilated place
Raspberries, currants, broccoli, tomatoes, peas and beans can be frozen; some may require blanching first to preserve their freshness and flavour
Apples, onions and tomatoes can all be dried and stored for six months
Apples, marrows, courgettes, apricots, beetroot, onions, rhubarb and tomatoes can be made into chutney
Beetroot, courgette, cucumber, grapes, pears and peppers can be pickled in vinegar or brine
Blackberries, blueberries, garlic, mint, peppers, raspberries and tarragon can be used to make flavoured vinegar
As well as being delicious, jams, chutneys and vinegar also make fantastic Christmas presents.
27. Make leaf mulch
Leaves falling from the trees look pretty, but they also have another use – leafmould, or mulch. Leaves are all part of the ecosystem, and naturally break down to provide nutrients for the soil. However, many people have a tendency to sweep up and bin leaves in an attempt to keep their properties tidy and reduce the chance of slipping.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping paths clear, but instead of putting leaves in the bin, why not save them to make your own compost? Pick up the leaves, dampen them, place them in a bin bag, make a few holes, tie the top and leave them to compost for a couple of years. You can also do this in a mesh cage if you prefer. When it's ready, this will provide you with ‘gardener’s gold’: a light compost that can be used for seed-sowing or potting.
28. Leave the garden natural to support nesting animals
It can be tempting to tidy up the garden for the winter, cutting back plants once they’re done flowering and trimming hedges ready for them to grow again in the spring. However, remember that your garden isn’t just for you to enjoy – it’s also home and a food source for a whole variety of animals, from birds to tiny mice. Leaving undisturbed piles of twigs, creating an insect hotel, making sure there’s water available and leaving seed heads and berries to provide food are all ways that you can support the ecology of your garden.
29. Choose natural Halloween decorations (and dispose of them correctly)
Spooky season is the perfect chance to decorate your home. Whether you choose a more muted autumnal theme or go all out with witches and ghouls, there’s plenty of ways to add seasonal personality to your home. Aside from choosing decorations that will last for years to come, the best way to lower your impact is to use natural decorations, which can then be repurposed or composted – as long as you dispose of them correctly.
According to the Sustainable Food Trust:
An estimated 22.2 million pumpkins go to waste in the UK, with the majority of them thrown in the bin. They will decompose, but unfortunately, they produce methane, which is 20-times more problematic for global warming than carbon dioxide.
Instead, why not choose ‘eating’ pumpkins for your display? Once Halloween is over, you can cook them and make soup, stews or pie, or chop them and freeze the pieces for use at a later date.
If you’ve got guests over, you could also make an autumnal tablescape from dried flowers and grasses, fallen branches, pinecones, seasonal fruit or vegetables. Add in a few candles and ceramic decorations and you’ll soon have a photo-worthy display.
30. Get your cosy lighting options set up with LED bulbs
Lamps are an autumn essential, providing low-cost lighting as you settle down under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. But have you checked the bulbs in your lamps to see if they’re LED?
Compared to traditional bulbs, LEDs use around 75% less energy, and last 25 times longer. This is an easy eco switch that you can make at home, saving you money and helping the planet – cosy evenings will feel even better.
Winter sustainability tips
31. Keep your radiators working effectively
Winter is typically the time when we all rely on our central heating, so it’s good to ensure that everything is working to maximum efficiency.
Radiators are real dust traps, and aside from being unhygienic, dust can impact how well your radiators work. Dust stops the heat your radiator creates from getting to the room, meaning they have to work harder and use more energy to achieve the target temperature. Make sure that you’re cleaning behind them regularly to ensure they work as well as they should.
You also need to make sure that your radiators are distributing heat correctly. When they’re on, simply check that the radiator is hot at the top and cold at the bottom. If it’s inverted (warm at the bottom and cold at the top), there may be trapped air that’s stopping the water circulation. This is easily solved by ‘bleeding’ the radiator to let the air escape and then refilling it. You can do this yourself; however, if you’re not confident, then consult a professional, as getting it wrong can lead to having to repressurise your boiler.
If your radiators are making a gargling noise, then you may need them flushed, which should only be done by a professional.
32. Keep yourself warm, rather than your whole home
When the temperature drops, you might automatically switch the heating on to take the chill off. But this is warming the whole house, rather than just you – using far more energy than if you put some more layers on, or used an electric blanket. If there’s multiple people at home, this makes sense, but if you’re all in one room, it’s more energy efficient to try and warm yourself rather than the room.
For instant heat, a hot water bottle can be useful – remember to put one under your covers whilst you get ready for bed to take the chill off the sheets.
33. Tackle any draughts
From poorly sealed windows to gaps underneath doors, there’s plenty of places where cold draughts can sneak into your home. As well as providing a chilly breeze, any gap to the outside is a place for heat to escape. This costs you money and forces your heating system to work harder to keep your home warm, therefore using more energy – especially if you turn your heating up to combat the cold.
Financially, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that:
Just dealing with draughts around windows and doors could save you £40 per year, with draught-proofing a chimney saving a further £55.
Fortunately, there are a few easy fixes. Firstly, you can purchase or make a draught excluder to put along areas where there’s no escaping the draught, such as underneath doors. You can also get keyhole and letterbox flaps so that they can be covered with no disruption to regular use.
For windows, doors, and loft hatches, you can purchase draught-proofing strips to cover any gaps. Cracks in the wall can be remedied with specialist filler, and you can insulate between the floorboards and the floor covering to stop the cold seeping in from underneath.
If you’re not keen on DIY, you can pay a professional to draught-proof your home for you. This might seem expensive, but remember that removing even small gaps can save you money on your heating bills, as well as reducing your carbon footprint.
34. Open the oven after cooking
Cooking a meal in the oven uses a lot of energy, but it’s an essential part of daily life for many of us. So, when you turn the oven off, open the door – the residual heat as it cools will warm the room, rather than staying in the oven behind the door seal. You’re not using any extra energy, but you’re warming your home and potentially won’t need to turn the heating on or up either.
35. Learn to mend your belongings
Winter evenings are a great time to sit down and mend items that may have been damaged during the more active summer months. Whether it’s sewing a patch or mending a tear on your clothes, or upcycling a piece of furniture, extending the life of your belongings is a sustainability staple, saving them from landfill.
If you’ve got the skills and the tools, you can also try your hand at some larger projects, such as making new clothes out of old fabrics, or turning scrap wood into something useful for the garden.
36. Use appliances outside of peak times
In the hustle and bustle of the summer, it can be tricky to time doing the washing off-peak but also in time for you to wear an outfit to a social gathering. However, as we retreat indoors in the winter, you can be smart with your devices and set them to run at off-peak times.
This has the dual benefit of potentially saving you money, depending on your tariff, and also putting less demand through the National Grid. By spreading out electricity usage, energy companies may be able to use a higher percentage of green energy, such as wind, in the grid mix, rather than having to top up with fossil fuels to meet demand. This is particularly effective in the winter months, when we all tend to rely on tumble dryers more heavily, which are big users of energy.
Tips for Christmas
37. Plan your shopping to avoid food waste
Christmas is traditionally a time for feasting with friends and family, but according to GWP, in the UK we waste an average of:
17.2 million Brussels sprouts
74 million mince pies
5 million Christmas puddings
7.1 million pigs in blankets
2 million kilos of cheese
That’s a huge amount of food, the majority of which will go to landfill as it’s already been cooked. There’s the extra energy used to cook it which also goes to waste.
To tackle this, try to plan your Christmas shopping carefully, based on a meal plan and the number of guests you’ll have. Tools like the food Guest-imator and the Festive Food Calculator can help you better understand how much you need per person.
If you have guests coming over, you can also coordinate with them to avoid duplication. Mince pies, for example, are a common host gift – they’re easy to bring and a favourite with many – but if you’ve already got plenty, it can be more helpful for your guests to bring a different dessert or some drinks instead.
Try to resist the Christmas supermarket discounts – sometimes they can be useful when they’re on things you genuinely need, but all too often, they encourage you to put things in your trolley that you won’t get around to eating. These appealing displays on the end of aisles or before you checkout on online shopping are all designed to catch your attention and encourage you to spend more, so think twice before you add them to your basket. Instead, settle on a few select treats that you particularly want, and leave the rest behind.
38. Use up or freeze your leftovers
Everyone is familiar with turkey curry, but what else could you do with your Christmas leftovers? From panettone pudding to cheeseboard and onion tart, there are plenty of good recipes out there aimed at reducing waste. Try to plan one ‘fridge’ dinner after Christmas Day, where everyone can make themselves a plate from things out of the fridge – if you’ve planned a full new meal every day, there’s no chance to use up the leftovers.
If you’ve had enough Christmas dinner for a minute, then your freezer is a fantastic tool to stop food being wasted. Either batch cook and freeze whole meals (these will come in handy in the new year when you don’t feel like cooking), or freeze the ingredients to be used as you like in other dishes. Even things you might not think about, such as bread or cheese, can be frozen if done correctly. This works the other way around too - you could bake your mince pies ahead of time and then just whip them out of the freezer on Christmas Eve.
39. Quality shopping, not quantity
Piles of Christmas presents can be visually appealing, but they also have a big impact on the planet. Unwanted gifts are often placed in cupboards and forgotten about, despite the energy and resources needed to make them.
In the UK, around 3-in-5 adults receive a gift they don’t want.
To combat waste, why not agree to do a Secret Santa between your friends and family, or ask each person to come up with a gift list so you can be sure you’re buying something they really want?
You can also reduce your environmental impact by shopping locally at farm shops or from small businesses. While these products may be a little more expensive, they typically have a lower carbon footprint as they’re produced locally. They may also have less packaging, as they haven’t been parcelled and shipped up and down the country.
40. Choose edible gifts
Another option for low-waste gifting is to opt for edible gifts – that way they definitely won’t be put in a cupboard and forgotten about. You could buy a second-hand hamper and then fill it with edible goodies such as biscuits, chutneys, chocolates and specialty crackers, either made by yourself or store-bought.
Try to think about what the recipient will actually eat – a box of their favourite sweets is more likely to be well-received than cheese and crackers if that’s not something they usually eat. If you’re making treats yourself, try to make them as close to gifting as possible, so that they don’t go stale and get thrown away.
41. Organise your fridge
Did you know that how you organise your fridge can have a direct impact on how long your food lasts?
Lowest shelves are the coldest, and so should be used for temperature-specific items such as raw meat and fish. The middle shelves are best suited to dairy products, and the upper shelves should only be used for foods that don’t need cooking to be eaten, as they’re the warmest. Door compartments should be used for condiments, as they typically experience the biggest fluctuations in temperature.
Gassy fruit and vegetables such as bananas and tomatoes should be stored on the worktop rather than in the fridge. These items give off a natural ethylene gas, which can cause other products to over-ripen more quickly.
42. Choose recyclable wrapping materials
The amount of wrapping paper used in the UK each year is enough to wrap around Guernsey, according to the UK Government. Furthermore, Greenpeace estimates that:
1kg of wrapping paper equates to more than 3kg of carbon emissions.
While some of this wrapping paper can be recycled, products with glitter or laminate cannot be, as they contain plastic. Instead, why not use brown paper, and then add your own personal touch with coloured ribbons, paints, stamps or pens? Although it’s a little more time-consuming, it can be a great festive activity, and you’re ensuring the receiver can recycle the packaging afterwards.
If you want to go the extra mile, you could use fabric as a wrapping material instead, which can be knotted or pinned to seal.
43. Cut up old Christmas cards to use as present labels
Physical Christmas cards are going out of fashion amongst younger generations, but if you’re still a fan of receiving a classic card, why not repurpose them into gift tags for next year?
The side with writing on will likely have to be discarded, but the front side can be made into multiple little tags – you simply need a pair of scissors, hole punch, and some ribbon. This is a great family activity: see who can get the highest number of usable tags out of one card.
44. Choose LED fairy lights
If the 1st December signals the start of Christmas for you, then it might also be the day that your tree goes up and the fairy lights go on.
Unfortunately, if you put your lights up on the first weekend in December:
they’ll be responsible for 13.5kg of carbon dioxide if you leave them on for five hours per day. That might sound like a long time, but that’s just the equivalent of having them on from 5pm to 10pm – which many of us do as we settle in front of the TV
To reduce the impact while still enjoying some festive sparkle, choose LED fairy lights instead. With a significantly lower energy consumption, they’re an easy swap once your old lights come to the end of their life. LED bulbs also have a longer life, meaning you can use them for many Christmases to come.
45. Make your own Christmas wreath
Christmas wreaths are a lovely way to add seasonal decor to your home, as well as being a fun Christmas craft. However, plastic wreaths are not beneficial to the environment.
Fortunately, you can easily make your own festive wreath. Purchase or repurpose a wreath base, and then go out foraging or to a local florist to get greenery, seasonal berries and pinecones to adorn it. Remember, if you’re collecting natural materials, don’t pick them or cut them – there should be plenty on the ground for you. Household items such as citrus slices, fresh herbs or cinnamon sticks also add a lovely aroma and colour to your wreath.
Alternatively, stay indoors and make a brightly coloured seasonal wreath from felt, which can be used year after year.
Other useful information can be found on the following pages:
Energy Saving Trust – home energy advice guides
https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/Royal Horticultural Society – 10 ways to be more sustainable in your garden
https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardening-for-the-environment/planet-friendly-gardening-tipsNational Trust – sustainable craft projects
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/craftsWorld Wildlife Foundation – Carbon Footprint Calculator
https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/Safefood – how to make a weekly meal plan
https://www.safefood.net/healthy-eating/meal-planning
