It’s easy to forget the environment at Christmas, but a more sustainable festive season may not be as difficult as you think.  Each year we produce approximately 25 percent extra rubbish during the Christmas period which equates to around 25 million tonnes.

Follow these handy tips for a greener, more sustainable Eco Island Christmas:

1.When buying presents look out for those with minimal packaging, or items packed in recycled or recyclable materials (e.g. cardboard).
 
2.Don’t throw your wrapping paper in the rubbish or fireplace recycle it or reuse it for wrapping other presents. More than 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper will be used on Christmas presents, using the equivalent of 50,000 trees.
 
3.Buy recycled wrapping paper and Christmas cards; one site to check out is Natural Collection. Last year around 744 million Christmas cards were sent. If all these were made from recycled paper, it would help to save the equivalent of 248,000 trees.

4.Buy cards that are made from paper (not plastic) and without lots of glitter/glue/stuck on decoration, as these cards cannot be recycled.
 
5.Alternatively, you could always send an e-card instead. There are lots of websites offering a free Christmas e-card service.

6.Save and re-use cards that you receive as gift tags for next year.
 
7.If you are buying toys or electrical goods that need batteries, buy rechargeable ones, then add a battery charger to your Christmas list! Rechargeable batteries can also be recycled once they are no longer chargeable.
 
8.Most people buy too much food at Christmas, much of which goes to waste. This year try to plan your meals and only buy what you need. Alternatively put a compost bin on your Christmas list! This will significantly reduce the rubbish going to landfill.
 
9.When buying your food, wherever possible buy local, organic or fair-trade.  A traditional Christmas dinner that uses local seasonal produce and food from a local market or grocer helps reduce ‘food miles’  (the distance food travels to reach your plate).
 
10.Buy loose rather than pre-packed vegetables—it’ll help cut down on waste packaging. Better still; grow your own next year.

11.When you have finished eating all your Christmas chocolates and biscuits keep the tins and reuse them as storage containers.

12.If you receive electrical goods this Christmas, don’t throw your old ones away. Instead recycle them using Freecycle.

13.Buy a locally grown Christmas tree and remember to recycle it after Christmas. You can recycle Christmas trees HERE:

14.Take the bus to go Christmas shopping, and if using the car when you go to make one big trip.

15.Take your own re-usable shopping bags with you when you do your Christmas shopping. Around 125,000 tones of plastic packaging are thrown away over Christmas.

16.Make your own food-based Christmas gifts such as home made chutneys, cakes or chocolate truffles. Or make your own flavored organic olive oil, adding dried chillies, garlic or herbs.

17.If you’re having a party, avoid serving food and drink on disposable plates and cups. They will just add to our growing mountain of waste.

18.Recycle your beverage containers, including bottles from wine and plastic egg nog containers.

19.Donate any unwanted Christmas gifts to a charity or list them on eBay/wightbay.
 
20.Make your New Years resolution to live more sustainably in 2008.

Visit Footprint Trust for more tips on where you can recycle goods on the Isle of Wight. 
Isle of Wight Community News @Island Pulse.