How to be green this Christmas

Recycle your Christmas cards

There will be special card bins in some shops during January, where you can recycle your Christmas cards.

You can take your cards to:

• Marks & Spencer
• TK Maxx
• WH Smith high street stores

This card recycling scheme is organised by the Woodland Trust. Recycling your cards through the scheme will help them to plant more trees. If everyone recycles just one Christmas card, the Woodland Trust will be able to plant 15,000 trees to create new woodland in the UK.

Recycling your cards helps to tackle climate change. Waste sent to landfill can create methane - a powerful greenhouse gas. If we all recycle just one card this Christmas this would save 1,570 tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases. This is the same as taking 500 cars off the road for a year.

Recycle your Christmas tree

If you want to recycle your real Christmas tree (not plastic ones), you can do so at any of the five Household Waste Recycling Centres in Kirklees by putting them in the garden waste containers on site. Please do not put decorations or plastic bags in with the trees.

Make your own gifts and decorations

You can help the environment and save money at the same time by being creative this Christmas. Try investing your time in making presents - it's a valuable gift. Here are a few ideas:

• Home made food or drink makes a great gift - try cakes, preserves or wine.
• Make your own Christmas cards by recycling old cards, scraps of fabric etc.
• Gather pine cones, ivy and fallen branches to decorate your house.
• Make edible tree ornaments using biscuits, marzipan etc.
• Paint a picture as a special gift.
• Take cuttings from your plants and grow them on as presents.
• Gather perennial seeds and make packets for them - you can include your own growing instructions.
• Re-use old wrapping paper and make your own tags.

Greener gifts

If you're shopping for presents, look out for items that are made from recycled materials. Recycled products save resources and energy, helping to combat climate change.

Think about the packaging that your gifts come in - can it be recycled easily or re-used? Try to buy unpackaged items whenever you can.

Consider buying ethical gifts from charities or green businesses. Gifts on offer include adopting an animal, planting a tree and providing educational resources for children in poorer countries.

If you know someone who likes their gadgets, try buying them something that saves energy, such as a wind-up radio or a solar powered lamp.

Save money - don't waste food

We throw away £400 worth of food per household each year, according to WRAP (the national Waste and Resources Action Programme). Here are some ideas to help you reduce your food waste at Christmas and all the year round:

• Menu plan for the week ahead.
• Stick to a shopping list.
• Stock check before going shopping.
• Eat together - it’s easier to save food if you can plan meals.
• Freeze your leftover party foods and use them for making packed lunches after the holidays.
• You can grate hard cheeses and freeze them to use later on (ideal for pizza toppings or cheese on toast).
• Don’t leave perishable food out of the fridge overnight, such as milk, cooked meats and salad.
  
• Chilled food will stay fresh for longer if you keep the fridge at a cool 1-5 degrees.

Buy seasonal food

Buying fruit and vegetables when they are in season can be a positive choice, as they are unlikely to have been transported long distances or heated during production.

Vegetables in season at Christmas time include:

• Artichokes (Jerusalem), beetroot, broccoli (purple sprouting), Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, chicory, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, shallots, swede and turnips.

Fruit and nuts in season at Christmas time include:

• Apples, chestnuts, pears, pomegranate, quince and rhubarb.

Don't forget your shopping bags

When you go Christmas shopping, remember to take some re-usable bags with you, so that you don't have to bring a lot of plastic bags home from the shops.

Make sure that you always take a spare canvas bag or something similar with you - in case you spot any nice stocking fillers whilst you're out.

Reduce your waste

Tips for recycling and waste minimisation over Christmas:

• Home compost your vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea bags, Christmas tree pine needles, holly etc.
• Buy wrapping paper in rolls rather than sheets to avoid waste. Avoid shiny papers that can't be recycled.
• Buy rechargeable batteries for toys.
• Take any unwanted Christmas gifts to charity shops.
• Use your green bin to recycle cans, cardboard boxes, plastic bottles and wrapping paper.
• Use your glass box to recycle jars and bottles.
• Use your local household waste recycling centre to recycle trees, batteries and other items.