The Christmas season represents the peak of family celebrations. Siblings, parents, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all get together. Gifts and hugs are exchanged, love and plenty of food are shared! People talk about school, work, inflation, and Ronaldo. The classics, right?
Along with the festivities comes an unbridled increase in consumption and waste. With the goal of minimizing the damage caused to the environment, without affecting these intense family moments, here are three tips for a more sustainable Christmas!
Keep curtains and blinds open during sunny periods.
This simple gesture has several advantages! First, it allows you to save energy. By keeping the curtains open, there's more light and fewer lights on, which means the sun's rays will warm the interior of the house and help you save on heating. Your indoor green friends will also appreciate the exposure to natural light, often scarce during the winter.
Remember that plants don't like radiators or lit fireplaces! Keep them away from heat sources.
Give gifts with the environment in mind.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, you can offer toys made of wood or other recyclable materials – preferably those that don't require batteries – to the children in your home. For children or adults, indoor plants are also a great gift option, as they directly contribute to creating a greener environment, help regulate humidity, clean the air of toxins, and release oxygen. Above all, they are a way to connect with Mother Nature and strengthen respect for the environment!
Here's a tip! Recycled (and recyclable) paper used to protect our plants during shipping is great to use as wrapping paper!
Use natural or sustainable decorations.
Most Christmas decorations are made of plastic and are not recyclable. The same is true for artificial Christmas trees, which are often replaced annually, leading to tons of toxic waste. In contrast, natural trees come mostly from forest clearing or cultivation. While the former are destroyed after the festive season, cultivated trees are alive and can be kept outdoors, in pots or gardens, or even replanted in the forest!
To decorate your Christmas tree, simply use natural elements such as orange or lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, or original creations made by you! Don't forget that indoor plants have a strong decorative component throughout the year, and Christmas is no exception: green plants and red flowers never go out of style!
Big changes start with small actions.
