• Buy a Real Tree!

Buying a plastic tree can be tempting because of the cheap prices and the ‘idea’ of it lasting but buying a real pine tree for Christmas is much more rewarding! Buying a real tree isn’t much more expensive and some companies even offer delivery to your house. The benefits of buying a real tree include not contributing to the plastic crisis and promoting small businesses. It can also become a family trip to take the kids and choose the perfect tree for your house! After you’re done with your tree you can take it to a green waste centre where it can be biodegraded quickly and won’t take hundreds of years (like plastic).

• Buying Wood/Bamboo or Recycled Decorations

Again, big chain stores sell thousands and thousands of little plastic decorations every year and it is only contributing the plastic crisis. Plastic decorations can take years to biodegrade once thrown out. If you buy wood or bamboo products once you throw them out, they are easily biodegradable. Buying recycled products can help reduce plastic waste and promote small businesses too.

• Being Smart with presents.

Fixing the plastic crisis is all about reducing the waste we create. This year instead of buying every single member of your family a present, why not do a secret Santa! This is where each family member gets assigned a partner and they must buy presents for each other. Buying presents that people actually need instead of a bunch of novelty gifts is a great idea too. Doing this helps reduce the supply and demand of small plastic gifts, and also reduces the amount of stuff that never gets used and eventually gets thrown away.

• Buy Wood or Recycled Toys
  

There are so many plastic toys around the world. Understandably they are cheap and easy to make, however in the long term they are detrimental for the health of the earth. Recently, wooden toys have been starting to become more popular. Instead of buying plastic toys for kids, why not try wood or bamboo products, or toys that are made from recyclable materials.

• Buy Local and Organic Food

We all know that Christmas is not only about giving to others but also about the food. This year trying buying your turkeys, hams and vegetables local. By doing this you are helping the economy by supporting small businesses and the local farmers. Majority of the time the food is fresher, better tasting and isn’t covered in pesticides and chemicals like GMO or fast paced farming.

Merry Christmas!