How to Have A Greener Christmas

Christmas has come to mean buying things, and it can creates lots of waste. So I want to give a few suggestions on how we can make Christmas a bit more green

Buy locally grown food from places like Foodshed Brighton, who are in Brighton Open Market who rent out their shelves to local micro producers to help them start their business. They have a zero waste ethos, which means everything comes loose, so you can buy as little or as much as you like. Some of their producers include Oh pickle!, Truthpaste, Raw Honey Shop, Katie's Nuttery, Peel It and many more.

Also check out Independent Brighton supermarket How It Should Be (HiSbe) a supermarket founded on a social enterprise model that puts happiness before profits. You can get everything from fruit and yeg, meat, bread, fish as well as frozen, free-from and frozen. They consider the happiness of people, animals and the planet when it comes to sourcing our products

Buy a Nature Connection Course from School of the Wild as a present for someone who is inspired by the wildness. Courses in how to make fire without matches to how to forage and cook nature's harvest. As well as walks about exploring your inner and outer landscapes.

Other great present ideas, which are also good for the environment / community are:
Good Money - gift vouchers which can be spent with a range of local businesses in Brighton, support the local economy - read more
Rise UK - Support this Sussex charity who help people affected by domestic abuse by buying items from their Amazon wishlist to help support the families staying at their refuges. Items can range from bedding to toys for the children. - read more
Orangutan Foundation - Adopt an orangutan and help these amazing animals survive in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve - read more

Make your own Christmas Tree / Decorations, see below for some great examples

Pipe Christmas Tree - via funcraftskids.com

30 Creative Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas - via Styletic

20 DIY Christmas Card Ideas for Families - via Coco29

How to decorate Christmas Tree using non traditional ornaments - via homedit

Reindeer Corks (43) and 42 other DIY Wine Cork Craft Ideas - via DIY Projects

And a few more tips

25 Eco-friendly Christmas Tips from Friends of the Earth - Read More
Including
Artificial trees can last for quite a few years, and if you don't have one already try places like Freegle, Freecycle for a pre-loved one.
Eco-friendly real trees - Check out the British Christmas Tree Growers to find out retailers who have UK grown trees
Grow your own Christmas Tree
Try not to leave the Christmas tree lights on while you out, or have them on a timer
Make sure you recycle your Christmas Tree, you can contact your local council to see if they recycle real Christmas trees

10 Ways to have a green Christmas this year by Inhabitat - Read More
Including
Buying Used, Make Your Own Gifts, Shop Locally

How to Have a Green Christmas by WikiHow - Read More
Including
Christmas Cards - recycle your old cards, use them to make new cards or gift tags
Wrapping Paper: Can you reuse paper from last year? Can you use other paper products such as newspaper, magazines, old posters. Use item of clothing or fabric as wrapping paper
Place the item inside a biscuit jar, mug, flower pot, lunchbox or anything else, makes it much more novel looking sitting under the tree

A-Z of tips for a green Christmas by The Guardian - Read More

50 tips for a green and glorious Christmas by The Telegraph - Read More

If you have any more suggestions let me know, I will be adding more when I can