Eco friendly

[Matt2584]

Hi folks,

I realise this post is not exactly to do with healthy eating but is about looking out for the health of the environment/planet.

I am cutting down on my Christmas cards this year.

In previous years I used to send lots and lots of cards to people but now I have seen sense.

It might be a nice gesture to send people cards but it’s not something you must do.

I would rather not give out as many cards this year and save trees being cut down for no real reason.

Keeping our trees living is more of a ‘must’.

The other thing was wrapping. I am using paper this year, no Christmas wrap and I am tying the gifts up using raffia so I avoid using tape.... I recommend more people do similar if they really care for the planet.

[Hidden]

Hi Matt, I think that this is admirable of you and we have an Ecology Topic as it is important to many members because it isn't just healthy eating it is a healthy lifestyle and healthy mindset that we want.

Things seem to be coming to a head at the moment especially with Extinction Rebellion blocking central London this week and next.

And we have to take responsibility for the outcome of our actions so good for you for setting an example. 👍

[Matt2584 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Jerry and if you want you can edit the post and put it in the Ecology topic :).

[Hidden in reply to Matt2584]

All done Matt. 😊

[Matt2584 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou :).

[deejames]

Giving fewer presents is good for the environment too. We don't need half the stuff we have already. Second hand, home made, cut out the plastic and much much less food to avoid waste.

Dee

[Matt2584 in reply to deejames]

Very true there.

Instead of buying STUFF for people why not buy experiences for people?

My brother usually buys me and my mum tickets to the theatre as a birthday or Christmas present.

And I might treat my parents to a dinner at a restaurant as a present or cake at a café.

[deejames in reply to Matt2584]

I make mini Christmas cakes as presents. My brother is borderline diabetic. He makes a small one last 12 months !

[Fran182716 Prediabetic in reply to deejames]

I’m terrible at wrapping presents, and it makes my back ache doing it on my bed where the family won’t see. Then I discovered that the council can’t recycle Christmas wrap due to some metals in the paper and the amount of sellotape. Last year, despite my sons being in their 20s they went back to having presents in socks and pillowcases like Santa used to bring!

[Matt2584 in reply to Fran182716]

Socks and pillowcases. I like that idea :).

[Matt2584 in reply to Fran182716]

I am also not that good at wrapping presents.

Sometimes when I am wrapping I think what I have done might look a mess but then think to myself “Well at least the present has been concealed” :).

[alchemilla12 in reply to Fran182716]

well it's only certain types of wrapping paper that cant be recycled.If you buy wrapping parer make sure it is not foil or metallic based. if then you can crumple it then you can almost certainly recycle it .If you buy " Sellotape " - ie the brand rather than some other make -then it can be recycled as it is plant based

[Fran182716 Prediabetic in reply to alchemilla12]

Well our council put out a notice a couple of years ago telling people they wouldn’t take any Christmas wrapping paper and not to put it in our recycling bins, so whether it’s possible or not makes no difference, they won’t accept it. Anyway my boys enjoyed their sock and pillowcase presents 😀

[Matt2584]

Well I believe everything happens for a reason and sometimes when things happen that seem reason-less there is usually some sort of reason deep down of why certain things happen.

Global warming/climate change. I know a thing or two about it but I don’t know massive amounts about it, like with many things. I’m a simple kind of person.

But it’s pretty obvious that climate change didn’t spark up for no reason.

Now I look at what vegans say about climate change and the main problem being animal agriculture, it makes much more sense to me.

Having said that though I do think the burning of fossil fuels plays a big role too.

But we must remember that it is not just the CO2 that plays a part in climate change but also methane which is said to be 75 times denser than CO2.

CO2 is melting the permafrost which holds a lot of methane, apparently.

[deejames]

I found bags made in India from recycled newspaper. Novelty value and no sellotape or wrapping involved. In my family we reuse most wrapper paper and any gift bags. Some have been going for nearly 10 years

[Matt2584 in reply to deejames]

Reusing gift bags is something we do as well :).

[PhilFreeToAsk]

Well done for taking these steps. So not only are you saving trees but money too. May I be bold to suggest that the money that you save is given to organisation such as the Woodland Trust maybe by planting a tree in your name?

If you are not aware, the WT are campaigning against the devastating loss to our precious ancient woodlands due to HS2 and other developments.