Can we Turn Christmas into a more Eco-Friendly Holiday in 2019 – we say yes!
Christmas produces a tremendous amount of waste in Canada. Every year, there’s 500 tons of wrapping paper alone that gets tossed. For most families, they won’t think twice about the wrapping paper they use but across the many households who buy wrapping paper it adds up. There’s so much more holiday-based waste that is produced as well. Is there a way to make Canada’s Christmas more environmentally-responsible – we think so.
Canada’s always going to be Canada’s most wasteful season. There are some estimates which suggest, over the holidays, residential waste production increases by as much as 45 percent. Things like gift bags and wrapping paper may seem difficult to replace with alternatives. Yet, organizations like Zero Waste Canada and the Environmental Defence Canada are all encouraging a greener Christmas by replacing wrapping paper with alternatives like reusable Christmas towels. Someone receiving your gift receives not only what you bought them but the towel as well, which can be an eco-friendly sort of gift.
Now it’s not all bad. Some wrapping paper is in fact recyclable although those with glittery, metallic surfaces often tend to have plastic in them which equates to non-recyclable. For Canadians looking to go green, they can still use wrapping paper and gift bags however it’s the recyclable brown paper which is best to use in these instances. If you’re looking to fancy things up a bit, unfortunately, ribbons and bows and similar products are non-recyclable. They all end up going straight to the landfill. Also, do you like glitter – we’re sorry to say but glitter’s very damaging to the environment. As a micro plastic, it is non-recyclable and hangs around for centuries waiting to biodegrade.
Although this might seem like we’re just trying to ruin Christmas, we’re not. Can we make Christmas just as fun and yet a little more eco-friendly – yes. The best thing you can do is to get a little creative. Consider what you can use in place of traditional gift bags. Some may choose to make their own. If you do end up buying some gift bags, reusing them year after year is a smart move as well. Also, in the gift opening process, separating garbage from recycling is another strategy that can be used to cut down on waste. This is always trouble though as what’s recyclable and what’s non-recyclable is sometimes an unknown.
Corporate stakeholders and small business owners can also play a role in crafting a greener Christmas. For a lot of gifts, they come with their fair share of packaging – bubble wrap, inflatable plastic bags, and Styrofoam. The Retail Council of Canada continues to work with businesses on how to use the most recyclable packaging possible.
In enjoying a happy holidays and a merry Christmas, we hope we can eventually get to the point where it’s easier to recycle. For environmentalists, there’s many alternatives to consider in wrapping gifts and giving gifts. For many families though, it’s not cost-effective or easy to make Christmas more eco-friendly. Nevertheless, we hope to see things continue to change a little in 2019.
Consider the ways you can make next Christmas for your family a more eco-friendly holiday. For waste management and recycling services in Toronto and the GTA, contact a representative at Core Mini Bins today.
