The environmental impact of Christmas

[jeltz]

Shouldn't we be concerned about the impact our celebrations have on the environment?

- Christmas cards not only have to be made but also transported.

- Loads of trees cut down then disposed of 3 weeks later

- Houses lit up like Blackpool burning electricity throughout the night.

- Exotic food and drink imported from all over the world, to be consumed, digested then flushed away.

- The giving of useless tat that just sits in a draw for ages before heading off to landfill.

I think we go OTT to publicly demonstrate we're having a good time and that its not only wasteful but unnecessarily damaging, but then again maybe I'm just a grumpy old git?

 

[Arch]

Well, I won't have a tree because I'm not at home, and my Mum has an artificial one that's seen many years of use. We'll have enough to eat, without waste, and pretty much all gifts will be wanted, if not actually specified, so no waste there.

I've given minimal cards, and will recycle mine after Christmas.

I am going home to Mum's for Christmas by train. Sis and family are driving up, but it's three in one car, and all the toddler's stuff....

There's no doubt there will be some monumental waste, but on the other hand, it is meant to be a festival and fun. It wouldn't matter so much, if people didn't have such a huge environmental the rest of the year round...

 

[ianrauk]

I would imagine that the majority of christmas trees come from sustainable forests/farms.

- Loads of trees cut down then disposed of 3 weeks later

 

[tyred]

There's people who makes lots of money out of it and that's what makes the world go around.

 

[jeltz]

There's no doubt there will be some monumental waste, but on the other hand, it is meant to be a festival and fun. It wouldn't matter so much, if people didn't have such a huge environmental the rest of the year round...

Agreed and I/we do try to manage our impact as such just feel that its a bit like driving home 52 miles, you take the 1st 48 miles carefully watching the revs ect then floor it for the final 4!

 

[thomas]

Shouldn't we be concerned about the impact our celebrations have on the environment?

- Christmas cards not only have to be made but also transported.

- Loads of trees cut down then disposed of 3 weeks later

- Houses lit up like Blackpool burning electricity throughout the night.

- Exotic food and drink imported from all over the world, to be consumed, digested then flushed away.

- The giving of useless tat that just sits in a draw for ages before heading off to landfill.

Short answer...no.

The tree bit...surely those trees would cut down CO2? Which is a good thing

And, christmas lights make near enough no difference. It was on the radio the other day, the utilities companies say that it barely makes a difference....but come January when industry starts up again that does make a difference.

 

[cookiemonster]

Well, my carbon footprint is shafted this festive season.

I'm off to Bangkok on Sunday

 

[numbnuts]

not in my house
Christmas cards - 25 mostly hand delivered
Tree - 0
Houses lit up like Blackpool - 0
Exotic food - none, but I’ll make some mince pies
Presents £116 M&S vouchers and biscuits

 

[Arch]

The tree bit...surely those trees would cut down CO2? Which is a good thing

The trouble is that they'll not be very old, and once disposed of will release their carbon in some way, either through burning or rotting, so any carbon capture is shortlived.

A rooted one in a pot is better, or I gather this year renting one is the up and coming thing - although you have to balance the footprint of delivery and collection, and make sure they haven't been imported to start with.