Excalibre’s top tips to reduce your carbon footprint this Christmas
If you have children (in fact even if you don’t!) then the living room floor by 8am is littered with plastic and non-recyclable wrapping paper. Amidst the excitement and the happy faces, there is a slight pang of buyers remorse. Could we have bought spent differently and still had the same level of joy?
Combine this with additional travelling, food waste and Christmas lights galore, our carbon footprint at Christmas time can be astronomical!
So we’re taking a look at some of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint (and even save some cash!) this christmas..
1. Choosing the right Christmas tree – fake or real?
If you opt for a real tree then look out for the FSC certification that shows it has been grown sustainably. Many stores now sell trees that you can replant which, if done correctly can be used for years to come!
If you choose to purchase a fake tree then buy secondhand from the likes of Gumtree or Facebook marketplace where you can collect locally.
2. Sustainable Christmas decorations
While decorating your tree think about alternatives to plastic baubles – searching for pinecones in a local park or forest then decorating them at home with your family can be a fun, meaningful and a more sustainable experience.
3. Switching on (and off) those lights
Whether you have just a few lights on your tree or a house that lights up like an airstrip, there are many options to improve your footprint. OK, so sitting in the dark wont give you that much needed Christmas joy, but try reducing the amount of time your lights are on each day. Only keep them on during the evening when you are at home and switch indoor and outdoor lights off when you go to bed.
Alternatively switch to solar-powered lights or LED lights (which use about 80-90% less energy than traditional light bulbs).
4. Going digital with Christmas cards
Send e-cards instead of posting Christmas cards will save you time, money and is more eco-friendly. What is more, an e-card video of the family is much more entertaining and personal!
And, if you are feeling particularly ‘crafty’ then cut old christmas cards into holiday gift tags instead of buy new.
5. Reduce wrapping paper waste
Foil and glitter wrapping paper looks great and super Christmassy, but its tragic when it’s filling two black bin liners by Christmas morning. So check the label to see in the wrapping paper can be recycled or whether its usable for another year.
You can also look for alternatives such as brown paper, fabric or use gift bags with ribbon that can be used by the receiver.
Also consider alternatives to a large gift, such as a gift card or a unique experience.
6. Think Christmas food
While Christmas is a time for tradition, you can change Christmas dinner without everyone’s Christmas spirit suffering. By letting guests serve their own food you’ll likely to have less food waste and more leftovers for boxing day which will cut your food purchases over the festive period. Opt for turkey over roast beef because beef produces seven times the amount of carbon dioxide equivalents. Serve smaller portions of meat or consider trying a tasty Vegan alternative.
Avoid the huge food shopping trips – it can all look very appealing instore, but you are not buying for 3 months of hibernation – most shops are open on boxing day!
While bulk-buying can save on packaging and additional trips to the supermarket, a lot of food can end up going to waste, especially if they have short use-by dates. So plan your shopping list before you go and avoid any food that has excess packaging.
When buying drinks, try to avoid buying endless plastic bottles of pop. Cartoons, glass bottles or squash will last longer than litres of fizzy drinks bottles.
Buy locally from a farmer’s market or a brewery – you are not only supporting the local economy, but your food and drink travels less to get onto your plate and into your glass which means fresher, longer-lasting food and lower carbon emissions.
7. Reducing your carbon footprint while travelling
Think about travelling during quieter hours and cruising in top gear to save fuel. Consider using public transport – did you know a car journey from London to Liverpool (in an average petrol car) produces 62kg of CO2e – whilst the train for the same journey is just 15kg per person. Arrange to meet where it involves less travel for everyone.
Make sure your car is winter weather ready such as checking your tyre tread, tyre pressure and don’t overload the boot, especially as you maybe transporting more people on long journeys.
For diesel vehicles, contact Excalibre Technologies to check whether your diesel particulate filter may need a clean. Over time, soot gathers on the DPF filter resulting in increase emissions and potential failure. A DPF cleaning service will save money, prolong the life of the DPF and improve your emissions.
Any carbon footprint saving ideas? Feel free to message us or post on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram pages
About Excalibre Technologies
Founded in 2007, Excalibre Technologies was born with the intention of offering high quality commercial vehicle emission control products and services at a competitive price with customer service at the heart of our operation. Since then Excalibre has grown to become a leading supplier of retrofit solutions and DPF cleaning services in the UK.
We work with several national organisations to help achieve their ecological targets of lowering emissions and ensuring their vehicles are maintained to a high standard using internationally recognised practises and equipment supported by OEMs. We can also supply most aftermarket silencers and catalytic converters.
If we can help you with your emission control requirements, please contact us on 01594 887414 or sales@excalibretech.com.