The festive season is a time for friends, families and celebrations, but many of us are looking for ways to make this time more sustainable.
From the things we eat and wear, to the places we shop and the gifts we give, there are many ways we can celebrate the festive season without costing the planet.
So, this year our Climate Officer shares his plans and ideas for simple sustainable choices this Christmas.
Many of us love to decorate our homes for the festive season, as Personalised Christmas Decorations bring extra joy and comfort to our homes.
However, most decorations are made of plastic and are of poor reusable quality.
Check out the list below for some sustainable Christmas decorating ideas.
They say the best Christmas decorations are family heirlooms that thrive year after year – making them instantly durable. As a family we have a few bought from certain places we've been - which usually ends in an argument over who gets to keep them!
• Good old-fashioned snowflakes. Not only does it use up old magazines, newspapers or wrapping paper you have lying around, but it also keeps the kids entertained - bonus!
• If you can resist eating them, gingerbread people, baubles and robins are also another great idea - make a batch of gingerbread, cut the shapes you want and decorate them, any leftovers to eat now The finished biscuits can be made.
• Wait for the endless rain to pass and take a winter walk and collect some natural materials such as pinecones. They can be transformed into elves, foxes or even penguins. Check out this list and get inspired.
• If you have an old pair of jeans or a t-shirt that you can wear for a long time, why not make some jewelry out of the fabric. Tips on how to do this can be found here.
• Try making your own dried citrus garland, a zero waste Christmas decoration that will make your home smell wonderfully festive. You can pop them in the oven while it cools down after a meal to save energy.
The debate over it is better for the planet 'Rage' every year.
If you have a fake, I would stick with it, take care of it and keep it going as long as you can.
For a real tree, I'd say rooted is a better option, since you can plant it outside after the event and use it again next year. There are even now places that rent trees for Christmas, and you can return them to take care of next year.
Or you can recycle it as part of their special fundraising campaign with Pilgrim's Hospice, which raised over £42,700 last year for critical end of life care. You can book your slot and find out more on their website.
500 tonnes of fairy lights are thrown away every year, so how can you brighten up Christmas and create less waste?
LED lighting is much more environmentally friendly than traditional twinkly lights, as they use up to 80% less energy. If the UK If every home in the UK swapped a string of incandescent lights for their LED equivalent, we could save more than £11 million on our energy bills and 29,000 tonnes of CO2 - more than the 12 days of Christmas.
You can also switch to solar-powered lights outside, and put them on a set timer, which can save the environment and energy.