Dreaming of a Green Christmas

How to think sustainably while enjoying well deserved festive cheer

Season’s Greetings, from our business to yours! It’s been a tough few years for most and you may want to conjure some Christmas spirit. Here’s how to inject a little sustainability into your plans.

Deck the Office

With the UK working from home where possible, you may have scaled back any festive plans to decorate the office. Nonetheless, if you’re pressing ahead, second-hand, upcycled or recycled decorations are an easy win while enjoying the season. Remember that LED lights are far more eco-friendly than traditional Christmas lights, using up to 80% less energy, and beware of single use purchases like paper tablecloths and Christmas crackers.

Is a Christmas tree still going up? Perhaps your business has a sturdy plastic tree already, in which case, the onus should be on reusing it for as long as possible, taking good care to preserve it and store it carefully. If you’ve yet to buy the tree, or if you’re going for a real tree this year, a better move is to go for a living tree from a sustainable forest. Look for FSC certification (click here for our view on FSC).

And don’t forget to think carefully about disposal of the tree. Would someone on the team relish a few logs in their garden to encourage local wildlife? If not, perhaps this is the year for your most sustainable Christmas yet, by renting and returning a tree or looking for a potted tree as an alternative.

Feast Mindfully

If you’re cooking up a storm for colleagues this Christmas, don’t forget to shop local wherever possible. Food miles, in other words the transportation of food from overseas markets, is a major contributor of carbon emissions, not to mention the energy-intensive production of out-of-season food.

If you’re dining out with the team, mindful of best practice during the continuing pandemic, you could look for forward-thinking venues with strong sustainability strategies and intelligent menus backing local producers. Better yet, treat the team to an experience at a Zero Waste restaurant. You’ll inspire them, and you’ll have the first topic of conversation absolutely sorted too.

Give Sustainably

When buying gifts this year, whether it’s Secret Santa for colleagues or call-me-in-the-New-Year hampers for clients, show them your values by exercising some inspired sustainable thinking. Give thought to reduced packaging and waste, the materials being used. Look for organic certifications and labels like the FSC or Fairtrade.

You can also give the gift of an experience to avoid handing over another unwanted possession, or better yet, donate in the recipient’s name to worthwhile causes, whether Friends of the Earth, WWF, or something closer to your personal passions.

If you do want to spread some festive cheer, there are excellent (and delicious) products from brands like Tony’s Chocolonely (on a mission to end slavery in the chocolate industry) and Thomson & Scott (Noughty Alcohol-free sparking) guaranteed to generate guilt-free smiles.

Brighter Compass offers highly curated boxes for companies who want to inspire their clients and staff. Let us know if you’d like our help arranging thoughtful and sustainable gift boxes.