2014-12-12
Nicole Eckersley
Whether you choose to grit your teeth or pitch in, we hope you'll take our tips on how to keep your festive cheer more green than red.
Christmas trees
A study by Canadian climate strategists has settled the question once and for all — cut trees are more sustainable than plastic ones, even though plastic ones last longer. Not only do cut trees sequester carbon during growth and make great mulch, they also smell great! Try to find a local grower, as the main carbon cost of a cut tree is the transportation. Or better still, if you've got the room, get a live tree! It's much less depressing when January rolls around.
Seasonal ethical feasting
Spare a thought, while planning your groaning table of festive foods, for the flora and fauna involved! Make sure any birds (and pork, if you're having it) are free-range. Check the place of origin of your fish and seafood, and look up its sustainability credentials. And don't forget to buy local produce where possible! You can check out the ethics of your paper plates and other food too.
Reduce the dead loss of gifting!
We all know that this time of year is a rampant display of crass consumerism, but there are a few ways to reduce the impact all that gift-giving has. These work best if you tell your gift network ahead of time and make it a fun challenge for everyone — say, ask everyone to gift something they already own, give donations in each others' names to charities, visit craft markets and small local businesses, make the presents yourselves, get the presents within 2km of home, or give non-physical (say, movie tickets, online games, or a voucher for home-baked delicious things).
Remember, though — if you have kids, you shoulder the responsibility for making all of the above more awesome than ripping the paper off a brand-new something from Mattel — the young cannot be allowed to think sustainability is disappointing. Get on Pinterest and start knitting a Minecraft hat.
Go solar
Solar fairy lights are now pretty commonplace, and provided you've got a good non-south-facing window or two, they work well indoors, too. It's an easy step and frankly, we're surprised at you for not having done it already.
Look after yourself
Don't get food poisoning, drink-drive or set the house on fire with dodgy fairy lights.
Given any unnecessary strain on Medicare will give the Libs more excuse for slowly dismantling Gough's vision for free healthcare, make sure to stay healthy this festive season. Make sure there's lots of room for leftovers in your fridge, and put them in there before the post-lunch brandy butter slump. Keep the door closed. Pick a designated driver. And use solar fairy lights. When New Year rolls around, take a taxi, and trust us, champagne and swimming pools don't mix.
Make your decorations
We know, we know. Who's got time to make decorations? But buying Santa hats, 2015-themed glitter candles, tinsel, LED earrings and other single-use petrochemically produced guff is just lead weight on the ecological conscience of the world. It comes from oil and it ends up in the waterways. Instead, get creative with sweet wrappers, salt dough, paint, magazines, old books and maps, buttons, popcorn, paper, textas and almost anything in your house already except the kitchen sink.
Be generous
Help other people have a lovely time too, you selfish jerk.
We're not sure why, but even for the non-religiously inclined, somehow being disadvantaged at Christmas is much harder on the soul than at other times of the year. Take a break from your office parties and napkin selection anxiety, and get out and volunteer at a charity this year. Politics is important, but sometimes, you just have to wear a stupid hat and hand someone a plate of gravy. Or check whether your local Greens office is accepting gifts for refugees — many are.
Try not to kill your relatives
Especially if they admit to voting for Tony Abbott. Just remember: the Greens are standing up for what's right: health, education, human rights and raspberry trifle. Did we say raspberry trifle? Keep it civil, and remember, sowing a seed of doubt is better than being awarded the "Most Successful Christmas Debater" ribbon and miniature gold pudding keychain.