Pittwater LIfe December 2019 Issue

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Dreaming of a ‘green’ Christmas?
It’s a given that rubbish and
waste is part and parcel
of Christmas time, so we’ve
pulled together five simple
tips to take on board for
environmentally friendly
festivities.
And don’t stress if things at
your place aren’t 100 per cent
eco-friendly – it’s far more
important to relax, enjoy the
fun stuff and have a laugh…
’tis the season, after all.
Choosing a tree. Fresh is
best. According to Planet Ark
it’s always best to buy a plant
over a non-biodegradable
plastic tree that will eventually
end up in landfill. Disposing
of a real tree is simple if you
have a mulcher and council will
do a pick-up in the New Year.
The greenest option is to make
your own arrangements with
branches, or grab a potted
Australian native pine that can
be used year after year.
Decorations. Clean Up
Australia says when it comes
to decorations, go for natural
organic materials. If you
see something you want in
durable glass, porcelain or
ceramic, make sure you love
it enough to want to display
it for years to come. The big
ones to avoid? Polystyrene,
plastic and foil. Want to
brighten up your place with
lights? Choose LED and only
turn lights on for a few hours
at night, to reduce your
carbon footprint and save
your power bill.
Gifts. Shop wisely and
choose physical gifts that you
know the recipient needs or
will truly appreciate. Wrap
gifts in recycled paper or get
creative with fabric, or pop
presents in reusable boxes.
Consider buying experiences
as gifts, such as art or tennis
lessons or tickets to a live
show. Give generously to
charitable organisations or
volunteer your time – giving
not only makes you feel good
about yourself it enhances
your connection with others.
Make sure any unwanted
presents are put to good use
by donating them to local
charity shops.
Food. The primary reason
for food waste is overbuying,
so plan ahead. Think about
what you’ll actually need and
how many people you’ll be
feeding, write a shopping
list – and stick to it. Consider
how you can use leftovers
for meals the next day.
Shop local, visit the fresh
food markets and/or try the
bespoke delivery service
Bundlfresh (see our food
pages) to reduce emissions
and support local businesses.
Compost bins, worm farms
and chickens are a great way
to reduce food waste. If you
don’t have room contact the
local Community Gardens in
Avalon and Newport to see if
they will take your food waste
to turn into compost.
Recycle. We know despite
our best efforts there will
be more paper, plastic and
bottles to be disposed of
over the holidays. Chances
are you will probably also
need to think about how to
get rid of those old phones,
shiny electronic toys and
batteries. You can take used
batteries for recycling to
Battery Business (see p3);
small electrical appliances
are accepted free of
charge at Kimbriki; mobile
phones and accessories
can be recycled through
MobileMuster; Peninsula
Senior Citizens Toy Recyclers
fix used and unused toys
and donate to families
46 DECEMBER 2019
The Local Voice Since 1991