Sustainability & Home Editor

The Christmas season, with all its excesses, isn't exactly synonymous with slow living, mindfulness and being eco-friendly. Instead, it’s a blissful season where Monday feels like Saturday, the hangovers roll into one, and we throw all caution to the wind with an emphatic "yes" to another glass of wine and helping to buttered brioche. It certainly helps to be a little bit 'merry' when you look at your bank account after a week of online gift shopping. As you whip out your credit card yet again, this time to buy that pair of earrings your sister has been unashamedly hinting at since October (and add a pair to cart for yourself, if you're being honest), pause for a moment and think of the planet. What you spend your money is one way you have a big influence on social change. Here are some quick tips on how to throw yourself headfirst into the season’s silliness and support environmental sustainability at the same time. Think beyond plastic trees and ornaments Sustainability experts tend to agree that real trees are more environmentally friendly than a plastic one, even if that same plastic tree has been rolled out for aeons in your family. An increasing number of small businesses are springing up with the sole purpose of providing you with a real Christmas tree in a sustainable way. Some will even pick the tree back up when you’re done with it and replant it – how cool is that! Your local council might also have a responsible tree pick up and disposal service. Do some research to see what’s available in your region. If you need inspiration, Australian warehouse Bunnings has teamed up with a number of stylists to encourage us all to DIY our own ‘trees’. As well, we love what Geneva Vanderzeil has been able to do with a bit of bamboo garden screening, fairy lights and a coat of paint! See here. 2. Ditch the gift wrap And ditto for gift bags and metallic ribbon. For one, all that gold and silver foiling isn’t recyclable. Secondly, even gift wrapping which is recyclable or made from recycled paper - is just plain unnecessary. Many stores these days pop products into a recyclable cardboard bag, and yes, I know it’s a bit of a dead giveaway when you gift something in a bag that's branded but it’s kinder to the planet. You could also wrap presents in beautiful tea towels or scarves. Use tea pretty tea towels and twine instead of gift wrapping and ribbon. 3. Give experiences, not things My family and I have for years emphasised gifting innovative experiences and time together. This has included glamping, acrobatics, sunset cruises and cooking lessons led by five start chefs. Sure, it’s nice to open an expensive bottle of perfume, but memories with loved ones are priceless. 4. Seek out planet-friendly travel Booking.com research conducted this year revealed that more than 60% of respondants wanted to travel more sustainably post-pandemic, and three quarters of respondandts would choose accommodation based on its sustainability practices. There are now reams of options for eco-conscious travel, from more environmentally friendly accommodation (check out this tiny off-grid house for inspiration) to full blown immersive experiences like that offered by COMO Hotels and Resorts, where guests can volunteer time to marine restoration projects AND laze about drinking cocktails by a pool. Guests at the COMO Cocoa Island resot can participate in coral propogation activities. 5. Gift eco-conscious brands If you're going to purchase an item to gift, look for sustainable and eco-aware brands. For clothing, at the very least, opt for natural materials like cotton and linen with a sustainable certification such as those granted by Global Organic Textile Standards and the Leather Working Group. But to really go all in, support brands which can back up claims their factories are fair places to work, and which do small or pre-ordered runs. And remember – vegan leather doesn’t always mean eco-friendly. Eco-friendly beauty products will come in easily recyclable packaging (or have a recycling partnership with an organisation like Terracycle), they won’t contain nasties or fillers like parabens and silicone, and they will contain natural ingredients harvested in sustainable ways. Generally speaking, and we can’t say this enough – avoid plastic bottles and anything that comes with reams of packaging. 6. Sip (or scoll) sustainable booze Think sustainability doesn’t touch the alcohol industry? Think again: alcohol production itself can be very energy intensive and guzzles water. There’s typically a heap of waste from produce such as spent grains. And then, like like most industries, there's packaging and transport miles to consider. For sustainable wines, check out Round Theory: not only is the wine made from Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand accredited vineyards, but the bottles are shaped for easier recycling. Round Theory’s glass bottles are 30% lighter, 35% shorter and made from clear glass for improved recyclability and to lower the carbon footprint. Or consider a ‘Cupio Bagnum’: that’s a magnum of Cupio wine in - wait for it – a bag, which has a lower carbon footprint than its glass bottle counterpart. A Bagnum contributes 20% less environmental impact compared to a standard glass wine bottle. More tips to help you find sustainable beauty gifts and booze this silly season: For more from The Carousel about buying sustainable alcohol, visit here.