Keep Our Planet Happy and have a Happy Christmas
Record global temperatures and research stating the need for immediate action greeted the opening of COP 28. One paper recommended bringing net zero forward to 2035 from 2050. Evidence that we must stop over exploiting our planet’s resources is overwhelming.
Does that mean we have to cancel Christmas?
Connecting with people around us and giving to others, as we do at Christmas, promotes our well-being far better than “economic growth” does. This investment of our time and resources is worthwhile so we continue it every year. It is the same with our planet, we need to invest in it rather than exploit it. How do we keep the positives and reduce the negative effects of our celebrations?
• Choose Christmas cards without glitter that can be recycled. With 1000 million cards expected to go into bins this year, together we can make a difference.
• Wrap presents in recyclable wrapping paper or brown paper. If reusable store it with your Christmas decorations for re-use. Not sure if your paper can be re-cycled? Scrunch the paper in your hands, if glit-ter free and remains scrunched it is probably recyclable; if not it probably contains plastic rendering it un-recyclable. For every tonne of paper recycled 17 trees are saved. Giftbags or fabric wrap can work as alternative reusable covers.
• Plan ahead, plan meals to re-use the excess foods from your party meals so it does not get thrown away (in the food recycling bin).
• Recycle all the cans and bottles when finished with. Each plastic bottle recycled saves 360Wh, each glass bottle 400Wh. An aluminium can is likely to be recycled in just 2 months. If all the Christmas drink cans were recycled, we would save enough power to light our Christmas trees.
• If you have Christmas lights, make sure they are LED lights which use 80-90% less energy.
• Choosing presents for some is difficult but you want them to know they are valued. Many houses are poorly insulated. Perhaps friends and family might prefer you to help with insulation than add to the £700million of unwanted presents discarded after Christmas.
• An average UK household throws away 3.5 bin liners full of Christmas packaging. Try getting your household as close to zero as possible.
Want to give our planet more presents for Christmas? NHC have introduced a pilot plastic recycling scheme to Knebworth. This positive initiative should facilitate recycling and save more of our planet’s resources. The scheme needs your support to help the NHC find the best way to proceed. The more we use the scheme the less landfill tax will be paid for “black bag” waste.
Get in touch:
Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/knebworthenvironmentalgroup.
You can also contact us via email to Kristin at knebworthenvironmentalgroup@gmail.com.
Our next meeting is at 8PM on Tuesday 7th Nov at The Station Pub: you can email in advance or just turn up.