Sustainable Christmas: 5 tips from an energy and environment student

There is no clear answer as to how high the emissions, waste production etc. are per person at Christmas, as everyone celebrates Christmas differently. On average, it can be said that each person_consumes an additional 350 kilograms of_CO2 at Christmas. However, this figure can of course be much higher or lower. The less you consume, the more regional the products and food you buy and the more you reuse, the lower the impact on the environment. In principle, however, staying at home with your family instead of flying away is good for the climate. You can calculate your own ecological footprint for Christmas using apps such as CarbonHero Xmas APK.

On average, every person in Austria produces around 165 kilograms of waste per year. At Christmas time alone, the amount of waste per person increases by around 15 per cent. Teacher and director of the Josef Ressel CentreDoris Rixrath agrees: ‘The careless handling of food and the amount of waste in general is even more noticeable around Christmas.’ 

How can we counteract this trend? Master's student Thomas Schmidt suggests the following recommendations: 

• Conscious consumption is the be-all and end-all! You can ask yourself the following questions when buying: Do I really need this product? Can I buy it second-hand? Is it really the right gift or am I just buying it so that I can give something as a present? 
• Dispose of and recycle correctly
  • Especially electrical appliances: they belong in bulky waste
  • Wrapping paper (if used) belongs in the residual waste because of the coating
  • Christmas trees belong at the collection point
• Don't waste food and only buy what you need
• Recycle leftover food or donate it to people in need

3 tips for sustainable packaging

Instead of wrapping paper, you can use reusable Christmas bags or washable tea towels. Alternatively, you can use old newspaper (if you still have newspapers at home). This saves both money and emissions when shopping and also reduces the amount of waste after Christmas.

• Any waste that is produced should be separated as well as possible so that the individual raw materials can be recycled. Each municipality in Austria has its own systems and regulations for this. These can usually be viewed at the local waste collection centres or downloaded online.
• The basic rule is to avoid packaging as much as possible.

• If it is to be a felled, fresh fir, then pay attention to the origin and the cultivation. Many fir trees come from monocultures abroad and are heavily sprayed and fertilised. Instead, opt for ecologically certified Christmas trees and regional tree species from local forests.
• Alternatively: ‘Borrow’ a Christmas tree. Fir trees for hire are not felled, but are handed over in a pot. The fir is delivered to your home before Christmas and picked up again after Christmas, replanted and thus preserved for years to come.
• Plastic should actually be avoided. Nevertheless, it is a good alternative to buy a plastic fir made of high-quality plastic once and use it for several years. Again: used products before new ones. This saves emissions.

Do not leave Christmas lights and other electronics switched on all the time. Only switch on the lights in the evening and in the morning for a few hours if necessary and then switch them off again. 
If you buy new lighting, make sure that it is fitted with LED lamps. These are more energy efficient.
When baking and cooking Christmas dinner, also consider how long or how often the oven or hob is needed. Switching on and heating up several times on the same day consumes unnecessary electricity/gas. Instead, heat up once and use the heat generated for several dishes.
The oven does not need to be preheated. Simply switch it on and put the biscuits straight in. These are already baked during preheating.
In Austria, most electricity is consumed between 6:00 and 10:00 in the morning and between 18:00 and 20:00 in the evening. Therefore, try to use any electrical appliances (kitchen appliances, washing machine and tumble dryer etc.) before or after these times. This reduces dependence on electricity produced from gas. Furthermore, the general gas price and thus also the electricity price can be reduced.

Christmas presents don't always have to be new. It can be something second-hand from second-hand shops or online platforms such as Willhaben or eBay. The quality is often the same as the originals, but the price is lower. This saves money and waste as well as resources that would have to be used to produce new items.
If you buy something new, make sure that the item will definitely be used by the recipient. Returns (especially in online retail) are often destroyed instead of being resold and therefore cause unnecessary emissions. Online returns also involve additional transport. It is therefore better to shop in bricks-and-mortar stores and try to buy regional products (where possible). 
Don't give pets as Christmas presents! These are only a short-term treat for most families and are often handed over to an animal shelter after Christmas. The purchase of a pet should also be discussed with children.

More candles are bought and used during the Christmas period than during the rest of the year. Here, attention should be paid to where, how and from what the candles are made.

• 90% of all candles are made from paraffin, a petroleum product. Cheap or poorly processed paraffin wax releases substances that are harmful to health and the environment when it burns.
• Many candles also contain palm oil. This is not harmful in itself, but many hectares of virgin forest are cleared every year for the production of palm oil.
• Therefore, use candles that are made from high-quality paraffin, beeswax or stearin. 
   

You don't have to buy new Christmas decorations for your tree or home every year: Especially refrain from spontaneous purchases during sales.

• As an alternative to conventional tree decorations and tinsel etc., decorations made from organic materials such as straw or wax or dried orange slices or cinnamon sticks also create Christmas cheer and protect the environment at the same time. 

How do you look after your ecological footprint at Christmas? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.