With an expected 30% increase in waste this month, Veolia and Haringey Council are on hand to help residents stay festive and kind to the environment with their top tips, from leftover recipes to recycling guides covering all three holidays celebrated in December.
Make a list, check it twice and only buy what you need to help the UK avoid an 80% spike in food waste that happens every year in December. Veolia and Haringey Council have got a leftover turkey and noodle recipe to help you, and for those celebrating Hanukkah, there’s a recipe for simple vegan latkes. Or why not try making Mbatata and share the gift of comforting cookies this Kwanzaa. A homemade gift such as this is another great way to reduce waste, save on clutter at home and save money.
Did you know that 5.5% of our annual carbon footprint can be generated in just three days over the festive period? There are some very easy ways to reduce our impact, such as opting for LED lights which use 80% less energy than traditional halogen lights! Switch off electrical appliances whenever you don’t need them and remember, electrical items such as this can’t go in your bin at home either so please take it to the Western Road Reuse & Recycling Centre in Wood Green, dispose of it in one of the borough’s on-street electrical recycling banks or take it to a local electrical retail outlet.
For the 57% of us who’ve admitted to receiving a surprise present that they won’t get much use out of, how about regifting it? Pop down to your local charity shop or hop on to Freegle to help it find a new home.
Swap glittery cards that can’t be recycled for colourful paper which can or ditch the cards altogether and send one digitally or pick up the phone to give a loved one a call. Try the scrunch test with your wrapping paper to make sure it’s recyclable or ditch that too and try getting furoshiki this year by wrapping your gifts in scraps of fabric which can be reused or scarves which can even be part of the gift themselves!
All this and more will be on hand throughout December over social media for @VeoliaUK and @haringeycouncil to help you stay kind to our planet and help Veolia deliver ecological transformation in Haringey by recycling right and reducing waste.
To find even more festive tips, head to veolia.co.uk/tis-the-season-to-be-sustainable
Paul Peters, Senior Contract Manager at Veolia, said:
“We tend to create more waste during the festive period so by following these simple tips we can all cut down on the amount we produce and throw away, and enjoy a more sustainable holiday.”