Brought to you by Repak.
Have yourself a merry eco-friendly Christmas.
Fancy a guilt-free Christmas this year? Christmas is a great time for celebrating, being with family and friends, and maybe even a little bit of over-indulging.
But in the middle of all the festivities we can forget about the effect our Christmas habits are having on the environment.
So, forget about wishing for a white one, here's how you can have a green Christmas this year.
Shop local
Lots of our gifts come from half way around the world. The impact of the transportation contributes to greenhouse gases and global warming. Try buying some of your Christmas presents from local craft fairs or Indy shops in your area. It's also a good idea to look out for presents made from recycled sources.
Look out for Repak members
One of the easiest ways you can shop green this Christmas is by shopping with a Repak member. Repak is a for-purpose company set up by Irish businesses and owned by its members (ie SuperValu, Lidl, Kellogs, Tesco, Aldi, Marks and Spencer’s, and Primark to name but a few).
Did you know Repak members help pay for your household recycling and local bottle bank? Irish businesses have invested over €350 million through Repak to support packaging recycling in Ireland which is an exceptional number. So, keep an eye out for Repak stickers in your local shops. You can find a full list of Repak members
here.
Buy gifts that mean lots but don't cost lots
We can all get a little bit carried away at Christmas. I know I do. But instead of splashing out tonnes of cash on flashy gifts that will be forgotten about in a week, it is much nicer to spend time making a gift that someone will keep forever. Things like personalised photo albums, homemade cards, and thoughtful days out can mean a lot more than the latest gadget.
Keep an eye out for the Fairtrade label
The Fairtrade label not only guarantees that you are getting a great product but it also ensures that the person who made your product is getting a fair wage too. Fairtrade also invest money into the development of their producers' local communities which provides a knock-on effect for everyone. Fairtrade labels can be found on lots of different fruits, hot drinks, ice creams, chocolates, flowers and clothes so keep your eyes peeled.
Buy organic meat
And once again try buy from a local butcher. Not only will an organic local turkey taste way better but it will also save on all the transport emissions and Co2. If you really want to go for broke try go completely meat free this Christmas. Okay, before you recoil in horror, having a meat-free Christmas isn't actually the worst idea in the world. It's great for the environment and with all the great vegetarian and meat-free options out there you will barely even notice, we promise.
This article is brought to you by Repak.
