Use eco-bags for shopping. The world uses about one trillion plastic bags a year.
Buy homemade products. These will reach you without the use of much carbon emissions.
Give gifts that can be used over and over. That will not contribute to the wastes in the landfills.
Don’t buy decorations with glitter which are not biodegradable and end up clogging the drains.
Switch on LED Christmas lights.
Use reusable plates, cutlery and glasses for the Christmas party.

It’s definitely the season of joy! Christmas is here and after two years of avoiding the malls, restaurants, and meeting friends, people are out celebrating this season of cheer. As Christmas day nears, give some thought to making this a green Christmas because our planet needs even the smallest gesture to push back climate change. Here’s some tips from the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) and Greenpeace Philippines for a green Christmas.

SHOP GREEN – Use reusable bags when shopping for Christmas gifts. (Photo by PNW Production via Pexels) Eco-bags for shopping. The world uses an about one trillion plastic bags per year. Most of them go to landfills, while some end up in waterways and oceans. That comes down to using more than a million plastic bags per second, with most of these plastics used only once, the WWF-Philippines said. Use canvas or cloth bags over and over again especially when shopping for Christmas presents. Support local, homemade products. Imported goods use a lot of resources before they reach the doorsteps of our homes and work offices. Thus, buying local products will reduce carbon emissions while helping to promote the economy. Choose gifts from our native handicrafts or homemade products, or something produced near you to reduce the carbon emission of a delivery rider. Set one degree higher. Turn up the air conditioner's thermostat by one degree Celsius when the party starts getting too cold. Setting higher thermostats will make everyone feel comfortable and decrease energy bills by as much as 10 percent. WWF-Philippines said that homes and offices should be kept between 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.

REUSABLE GIFT – Give reusable straws as Christmas presents instead of plastic items. (Photo by Sarah Chai via Pexels) Give reusable gift items. Greenpeace Philippines advises that one chooses presents that can be used many times before it will be disposed. According to the organization, the longevity of presents diminishes the amount of waste discarded in landfills. How about reusable water containers, travel utensils, accessories made of up-cycled materials.

NO GLITTER THIS CHRISTMAS – Go green by buying Christmas decorations without glitter. (Photo by Dana Tentis via Pexels) Don’t buy decorations with glitter. Avoid buying Christmas decorations with glitters. Greenpeace Philippines said these will harm the environment. Glitters come in small amounts that cannot be recycled. Glitters also do not degrade, “they end up clogging drains or are washed away into local water systems, where they absorb chemicals and other pollutants.” Ditch typical gift wrapping. There are several greener options in packing Christmas presents aside from the typical Christmas-themed paper wrappers that turn into waste. Use old gift bags, canvas bags, cloth bags, newspapers, magazines, and glass jars. Switch on LED Christmas lights. According to WWF-Philippines, Christmas lights made of energy-saving light-emitting diode (LED) lights are 90 percent more efficient than regular tungsten bulbs. LED lights are also more durable and safe. Just avoid leaving them for too long to save power and cut costs.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT – LED Christmas lights are safer, durable, and saves more energy. (Noel Pabalate/Manila Bulletin) Avoid single-use plastics. Drop the use of single-use plastics not only during the yuletide season but throughout the year. If you are hosting the Christmas party this year, use reusable plates, cups, and cutlery.

DROP SINGLE-USE PLASTICS – Choose washable and reusable utensils this yuletide season to avoid overflowing trash bins. (Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels) Take a more serious thought about being green in your Christmas party. Greenpeace Philippines suggests using biodegradable and disposable cups, straws, and cutlery, reusing shopping bags, buying gifts not made from plastic, and patronizing businesses that “promote eco-friendly and sustainable practices.”

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