Yes, it is possible to enjoy Christmas without burning the planet!
Here’s a seasonal post, courtesy of Carbon Savvy:
Christmas tastes of eco-living
Vertellis, a game designed to deepen friendships. Image courtesy of vertellis.nl
Christmas is a great opportunity for gifts that give a taste of eco living – and show people how low carbon choices can also bring more joy and satisfaction to life. Here are some of our favourites.
Keep the cards
At Carbon Savvy we advocate sending Christmas cards. Why? Because writing, receiving and hanging them up brings a lot of joy. And their carbon footprint is surprisingly small, we estimate around 4kg fro 20 cards including p&p. For a special touch, try these beautiful eco cards with embedded seeds that grow into flowers when planted: littlegreenpapershop
Experience an e-bike
An experience can be more memorable than a gift, and an eco-experience has the added possibility of leading to a lifestyle change for the better. The gift of a day’s e-bike hire could be great fun, with a boost to wellbeing through being in the great outdoors. Many hire companies in the UK deliver e-bikes to your doorstep, to make it completely hassle-free. Whilst the delivery has a small footprint, a day or two of cycling instead of using the car is likely to balance that out. Here are a couple of companies for starters:
E-xploredevon £50 /day – Based in South Devon, delivery across Devon.
Ebike-escapes £60 /day – Based on the London/Kent border and near the Peak District, delivery across England.
Low-carbon luxury
Bed sheets made from 100% organic cotton can give you a luxurious feeling night after night. Maya at Carbon Savvy says, “I was given a set five years ago and I can pick them out from my linen cupboard just by touch – and I look forward to getting into them!” The range at Green Fibres starts at £89
Carbon-conscious cosiness
Carbon Savvy’s all time favourite gift, whether for a family member, friend or work colleague, is the electric throw. This simple technology can keep you toasty warm on the sofa or at your desk for under a penny an hour – with an associated miniscule footprint. Here are two options from £59.
John Lewis and Dreamland
Choice chocs
These special and sumptuous chocolates are both organic and dairy-free, which means that as well as supporting biodiversity they are likely to have a lower-than-average carbon footprint: Radeks and Boojabooja
Eco eats
Food and drink items can make welcome gifts that don’t sit around gathering dust. We believe that organic food is even more delicious but don’t take our word for it, the proof is in the pudding! For Christmassy supplies to your home our top picks are:Organic christmas puddings, cakes, and mince pies, as well as organic and seasonal vegetables and fruit, delivered to your door: Able&Cole and Riverford
Traditional Christmas fare, organic turkey and other meat delivered across the UK: Coombe Farm (Somerset-based) and Green Pasture Farm (Lancashire-based)
Games for good
Vertellis means “tell me more” in Dutch, and that’s the idea behind this game. Carbon Savvy founder Mukti Mitchell says, “This is a great game. Not much bigger than a deck of cards yet it creates conversations that deepen friendships and help us get to know each other better. Just one round often starts a conversation that lasts all evening!” Buy yours here: Vertellis
Christmas tastes of eco living
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