subject: Eco Xmas Ideas – Helping the Planet this Christmas [print this page] Eco Xmas Ideas Helping the Planet this Christmas
Christmas time is a time of good cheer, parties, meals and presents. But Christmas is also a time of year when many people forget about the environment, making this time of year one of the most damaging.
Every year we throw away millions of tonnes of Christmas trees, wrapping paper, old cards, and envelopes. It's also a time of year when many of us have time off work so the heating costs increase as we spend more time at home.
Not only does all this hurt the environment but it all adds to the cost and as Christmas is already the most expensive time of the year saving money and energy can help with the January bills.
Recycling
Recycling, therefore, is an essential aspect of Xmas. Make sure all wrapping paper and other items that are discarded are recycled. If you don't have a recycling bin it could be a good time to get one.
Eco Christmas Trees
Most people think there are two choices when it comes to Xmas trees: Either buy a real one, and put up with the pine needles and mess or, by an imitation plastic tree that can be reused. Unfortunately, there is an environmental price to pay with both these choices. Real trees are grown on an industrial scale and all sorts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used in their production.
Plastic trees are manufactured from non degradable material so when they do finally get thrown away (and normally they only last a couple of years) they end up on landfill sites.
There is, however, an alternative method. You can grow your own Christmas tree using a kit. While it is too late for this year, Christmas tree kits make a great gift and you get the satisfaction of knowing your Christmas tree has been grown naturally.
Keeping Warm at Christmas
Turning the radiators up at Christmas may keep us warm but it will cost us in January. As many people are off work and school at this time of year, fuel bills can rocket but by being prepared you can reduce the increase in your bills.
Fit radiator panels in the run up to Christmas and ensure the radiators are bled properly, this will go along way to keeping fuel bills down.
