During the festive period, Kiwi household waste increases, this is mostly because of the amount of wrapping paper, festive bows and Christmas cards that are used for gifting and single-use plastic food packaging that goes straight into landfills. We want to help you slay this Christmas with our favourite tips and tricks for recycling so you can guarantee yourself a spot on Santa’s (and nature’s) nice list.
Here are our five tips for a sustainable festive season!
- Ditch the Gift Wrap: use recycled paper or fabric instead.
Want to double-check if your paper can be recycled? Try our wrapping paper recycling scrunch test:
Step 1: Take the wrapping paper in your hand and scrunch it together in a tight ball.
Step 2: Open your hand to see if the paper stays in a ball, then you know it can be recycled. However, if it bounces back open, then it can’t be recycled.
Tips for recycling wrapping paper:
- Before recycling, remove any sticky tape and decorations such as ribbons and bows as these cannot be recycled. Keep and reuse for future gifting.
- Only recycle if it passes the scrunch test.
- DIY: make or bake your gifts and create your own decorations.
Get into the Christmas spirit by making your own cards or DIY wrapping paper with The Boundary Christmas Colouring-In Sheet, perfect for kids big and small!
Tap here for our favourite Rocky Road recipe to give a gift that you know will be actually enjoyed (or should we say, demolished) by all.
- Minimise food waste: plan your meals and compost leftovers.
- Confirm how many people you need to cater for and be mindful of not overloading.
- When it comes to covering leftovers, opt for reusable Tupperware, mesh food covers and beeswax coverings.
- Be conscious to limit purchasing of food in single-use plastic containers.
- Recycle decorations: do you really need new decorations every year?
And if you do, let the artist within you get crafty with sustainable DIY alternatives.
- Rewear an outfit: shop your wardrobe or thrift something different.
Take a leaf out of Santa’s book, a guy who only has one outfit and rocks it every time.
From all of us The Boundary, Meri Kirihimete!
