How to have an eco-friendly Christmas

Christmas is a great time to relax, forget about work and enjoy doing your own thing. But don’t forget about the environment! Doing your bit this Christmas needn’t be taxing, and you can feel good in the knowledge that you’ve given the environment a gift too!

Trees – the big debate. Artificial trees aren’t biodegradable and need huge amounts of energy to manufacture, so they’re not always the greenest option. The greenest option depends on a few things: how long the tree will be used for, where a real tree is grown and how the tree is disposed of. You can buy UK grown trees – which will have the least impact on the environment in terms of CO2 emissions.

Gifts – Why not put that Pinterest account to good use and have a go at making your own? Or you could make some sweet treats.

Food – fun to prepare, great to eat and a nightmare to clear up after! You could give somevegetarian recipes a go to use up any leftover vegetables. Try and plan as much as you can with a shopping list so you don’t end up throwing food away. If you realise you’re not going to use something before it goes out of date you could freeze it if you can or give it to a friend.

For more eco-friendly Christmas tips, check out Friends of the Earth’s 25 top tips.