Tips for a sustainable Christmas

The festive season is a time for celebrating and spending time with your nearest and dearest. With so much going on, sustainable options might not be top of your list and you might find that you end up with increased waste and items that you might not want or need.

Here are a few simple ideas to help you to enjoy the festive season, whilst protecting the planet and without wasting resources.

Reduce food waste

Christmas is the peak season for food waste, with thousands of tonnes thrown away across the UK. Here are some ideas to help you cut down on waste.

• Plan your meals: Make a shopping list and stick to it. Avoid impulse buys and “buy one, get one free” offers unless you’ll use them.
• Use leftovers creatively: Turn turkey into sandwiches or curry, and use vegetables in soups, pasta sauces or stews. Check out the Love Food Hate Waste website for leftover recipe ideas.
• Recycle unavoidable waste: Place scraps in your brown food bin for weekly collection so your leftovers can be recycled into energy for our homes and schools. Find out what can be recycled: Your bin collection. You can also order a free brown food caddy on the Council’s website if you do not have one.
• Eat with the seasons – lots of our favourite foods at this time of year are in season, such as potatoes, sprouts, carrots and leeks. Do your research and make the most of eating local, seasonal food. Read the Soil Association’s seasonal food guide.

Recycle right

• Wrapping paper and cards: Avoid foil or glitter—they can’t be recycled. Plain paper and cards can go in your recycling bin. Find out what can be recycled in your home recycling bins.
• Excess recycling: If your bin is full, place extra recycling securely next to it for collection.
• Christmas trees: Real trees can be recycled at Household Waste Recycling Centres or designated sites across the borough. Find out more here.
• Recycle batteries correctly: Loose and hidden batteries caused over 1,200 fires in collection vehicles and at waste sites across the country. Make sure you leave your batteries and electricals out for collection in a separate container. If batteries can’t be removed from a device, recycle the whole items at your local recycling centre.

Buy only what you need

Consumerism peaks at Christmas, but many presents and other Christmas items can be unwanted and end up being thrown away.

• Choose quality over quantity for gifts.
• Consider second-hand, homemade or upcycled items. If you are looking for a bike for Christmas Bren Bikes has a great selection of second-hand bikes.
• Support the circular economy by repairing, reusing, and donating items instead of discarding them.
• The most sustainable decorations are the ones you already have, if you’re looking for something new, why not make your own or upcycle existing ones.

Shop locally

• Support local independent shops – aim to buy your presents and produce from a local, independent business. This means that your money stays in the local economy, supporting local families.
• Support local markets – we have markets in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich, and Winsford, each offering a wide range of fresh produce, handmade gifts, and unique goods. Find out the markets opening times.
• Visit a local Christmas Market to buy unique gifts, crafts and seasonal produce. Chester Christmas Market runs until 22 December.

Sustainable transport

• If you are heading into Chester consider using the Park & Ride service from Wrexham Road, Boughton Heath, or Upton. Tickets cost just £5 for up to five people, and there are late-night services before Christmas.
• Consider walking, cycling, or public transport for local trips. Use Traveline to plan your trip on local public transport and the cycle and walking journey planner on the Council’s website to help plan your trip.
• If you are gifting a bike for Christmas, or receive one yourself, why not consider signing up for free cycle training? BikeRight! our cycle training provider offer both family and adult cycle skills sessions. Find out more on the Council’s website.

Host a sustainable party

• Avoiding single-use plastics when planning your party.
• Hire party supplies – Local environmental group, Eco Communities, hire out reusable party kits – find out more.
• Re-wear your Christmas jumper – 95 per cent of Christmas jumpers are made using plastic so swap, buy second-hand or re-wear your jumper year after year. Environmental charity Hubbub, even has a guide to make your own sustainable Christmas jumper.

If you have any other ideas or tips you can share what you do on the Your Story section of the Climate Emergency Inspire Hub.